This Is Chicago
by CanadianChick07
Summary: 26 prompts into the lives of Jay and Hailey
1. Chapter 1

Well... I've had this idea in my head. A little bit ambitious so I've been hesitating but I finally decided to go for it tonight as I just had knee surgery so I have time. These will be one-shots into the daily lives of Jay and Hailey- 26 prompts for Upstead. All very random words from the alphabet. Some I already have ideas for; some I have no idea and I'm just winging it (as I do in my everyday life). As well, some of these may be longer in length and some of these may be shorter. If you have any ideas for prompts for the below words, feel free to share them with me in a PM or review.

1\. Arrive

2\. Bagel

3\. Caribbean

4\. Dosage

5\. Expense

6\. Family

7\. Gavel

8\. Hangover

9\. Irresistible

10\. Jugular

11\. Key

12\. Lingerie

13\. Migraine

14\. Nutrition

15\. Obituary

16\. Poinsettia

17\. Quickie

18\. Reunion

19\. Storm

20\. Treadmill

21\. Upgrade

22\. Voltage

23\. Whiplash

24\. X-ray

25\. Yellow

26\. Zero

"Arrive" will be posted shortly!


	2. Arrive

**1\. Arrive**

* * *

Jay sighed as he hung his head and continued writing his after action report. Mind numbing paperwork on Thursday afternoon was not his most favorite thing in the world to do. Actually, it was at the bottom of things he wanted to do. Especially today. Hailey was coming home. A week and a half without her was entirely too long. At work and not having her around after work as well.

He checked his watch and then checked FlightTracker. An hour and 23 minutes more until her plane touched down at O'Hare. She had been in Los Angeles for the past week and a bit, one to work with the LAPD on a cold case that they had requested help from, and to see her college best friend.

"I didn't realize how much paperwork Hailey did for me," Jay complained.

Atwater laughed. "Better step up your game bro," he commented, filling out his own AAR. "When does her plane arrive?"

Jay looked at FlightTracker again. "Hour and 20 minutes. She said she would take a cab and come here."

Atwater just looked at him. "Ah come on. Let's go get your partner from the airport."

Jay looked around the empty bullpen and then shook his head. He filed his AAR he was writing in the drawer, locked it, grabbed his gun and then grabbed his jacket "You know she hates surprises?"

"Yup. Can we make her a welcome home sign?"

Jay looked at Atwater as they descended down the steps. "If you do, that's your funeral. She will kill you."

* * *

It turned out Hailey's plane arrived at the gate a little bit early so she was just walking by baggage, looking for the carousel with her flight number, when she spotted the bright, fluorescent pink sign and her two co-workers. Surprise. She had forgot she had mentioned something to Jay about checking luggage and it looked like he remembered the text so they were waiting around baggage claim for her. She read the sign that Kevin held- "WELCOME HOME FROM JAIL."

She was going to kill Atwater but first she was going to get back at Jay for letting him do that. They hadn't seen her yet so she decided to forgo baggage for now and surprise them. First she studied his partner- his jacket surprisingly wasn't covering his waist and she couldn't see a gun so that meant he was carrying it on his back waist and that was a full on advantage to her. Carrying a gun on his hip wouldn't make her surprise easy.

Hailey paused for a second and then started running. Surprisingly Chicago O'Hare was empty at the baggage carousel right now. And then before Atwater and Jay could figure out what was going on, she launched herself at Jay. He caught her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Yep, his gun was on his back.

"Surprise," she said, as she kissed him gently.

Jay's instincts were to kiss her back and he did but he was so stunned at her public display of affection, first in an airport and second in front of a co-worker. "That was a hell of a surprise," he whispered as he put her down.

Atwater's jaw was dropped as he just witnessed what he did- Hailey just kissed Jay in front of him! He was honestly speechless. He knew something was going on between the partners but that?!

Hailey turned to Atwater. "I'm going to get you back for that sign."

* * *

**Next up. B- "Bagel."**


	3. Bagel

**2\. Bagel**

The first time Jay brought Hailey a bagel and coffee, her favourite kind- maple and cinnamon with strawberry cream cheese, was the morning after Sean McGrady's funeral. He knew something went down with how Hailey had been acting and his suspicions were up when Olinksy shared a look after Voight slipped out of Ann's house after the funeral, right after Hailey.

His partner was rattled. In his short time partnered with her, he had never seen her so thrown off. She was struggling and he didn't know her well enough to ask her to talk to him about was she knew either. He'd wait her out and hope she eventually would confide in what she could to him.

She was already at her desk, looking pretty rough, when he brought her the bagel and coffee. "What do I owe this pleasure?"

"Yesterday," Jay replied.

She took it. "Thanks."

Later on, on the way to serve a search warrant did he ask her about McGrady. "McGrady wasn't all that everyone was saying at the funeral and house, was he?"

She stared out the window as he drove. "No, he was an awful son of a bitch. And it makes my skin crawl thinking that everyone thinks he's such a good person."

"Voight followed you out of the house yesterday. What happened?"

She finally looked at her partner and shrugged. "We made a pact."

Jay nodded and started to understand. Hailey had figured out and had evidence that McGrady wasn't clean and her and Voight decided to bury it. "And you're okay with that?"

"No."

"Why did you bury the evidence you had on McGrady then? He came to you for money, so obviously you have more on him that anyone else."

Hailey sighed and shrugged again. "I'm still struggling with the why, Jay."

Jay looked at her and all the dots started to connect for him again. "You have a fail safe on that."

"Ray Price."

Her partner looked at her shocked. Ray Price was well... opportunistic and nobody really knew where his loyalties laid. "Did you just call up the Alderman and say, hey, I have evidence Sean McGrady is dirty?"

Hailey laughed. "I did it a little bit more cleanly than that. Price already suspected it but the fact is Kane is going away for a murder he didn't commit in return for the Gold Coast Murders that he did commit that we can't pin on him. It's a wash. I have to live with that."

"This job sucks."

"It does."

* * *

The second time Jay brought Hailey a bagel and a coffee is when he called in a big favor. He typically didn't like doing this but this time he had no option. And he was pissed that he has to rely on his partner. Really pissed actually. More mad at Voight than at Hailey, though. Favors were a bad thing in this business and he just didn't like being in "debt" to someone, even if it was his partner.

"This better be World War 3, Halstead," she answered her phone at 6 am.

He sighed. "It's not."

"Then why the flying fuck are you calling me at 6 am when you know I had plans to sleep in until at least 8 this morning?" Hailey complained.

Jay sighed again. "I need you to go meet Bella down at the diner, like right now?"

"You want me to go meet your dancer CI across town in morning rush hour traffic? Fuck no."

"I have that appointment with the shrink at 7."

Hailey was silent for minute. She didn't have a problem with meeting Jay's CI or the fact it was Bella… she more had a problem with the traffic thing and getting up early on the one day she wanted to sleep in. But the fact was, she needed her partner back. And in order to have her partner back, he needed to go to the shrink that Voight made him talk to and Hailey fully backed Voight on that decision. So she would talk to Bella. "Tell Bella that I'm coming. You owe me Jay. You so owe me."

When she got to work after meeting Bella and driving back to 21st, a bagel- maple cinnamon with strawberry cream cheese was waiting for her on her desk. She looked at Jay and he just shrugged. "We are a long way from being even."

"I know. Did she tell you anything useful?"

"That's the only reason you're not dead."

Jay raised his eyebrows. "Good to know. Spill what she told you."

"After I'm done eating. I'm going to savor this bagel and coffee."

* * *

The first time Hailey brought a bagel and coffee for Jay was the day after Alvin Olinsky's funeral. She knew how hard it was hitting him- hell it rattled her pretty hard. Al didn't deserve to die, much less get shanked in prison like he did. He didn't deserve all of this and Hailey knew it was weighing hard on Jay. It was on her as well- wondering if they could have done more.

They all knew the truth on that one. No. Unless someone had a time machine where there wasn't a Denny Woods digging up dirt on Kevin Bingham's death and the grand jury investigation. Jay and Hailey, and the rest of Intelligence, somehow needed to accept that there wouldn't be a 21st without Alvin Olinsky. And that hurt.

Jay looked like crap, from a hard night of drinking most likely, to the bagel and coffee on his desk. Plain bagel, plain cream cheese. Hailey didn't understand but that was what he always got so she got it for him. And black coffee. He looked at the bagel and coffee and looked at Hailey. "Why?"

"Yesterday." It was the same thing he had said after McGrady's funeral when she was having a hard time dealing with the crap that went down with that one.

He took off the wrapper. "Thanks."

"How late did you stay at Molly's last night?" she asked. There was an unofficial gathering for Al at the bar after the funeral last night and it was full of cops and some firefighters, wanting to pay their respects to Al. She had stayed pretty late but she also had a meeting with a Detective from Narcotics pretty early in the morning and it was best she stay level headed for that one as they needed to go over notes for a court case. She had offered to take the meeting so everyone could stay and not have to worry about being hungover.

Jay's look said it was pretty late. No one else had made an appearance in the office yet, save for Voight who had his door closed, so everyone was most likely feeling the effects of last night as well.

"Figured you probably hadn't ate," Hailey said, as she was writing her report with her CI.

Jay finished the bagel. "I appreciate it. Thanks for meeting with Robbins as well this morning."

She just smiled at him.

* * *

**AN: As always, thanks for the reviews. **

**Next up: C- 'Caribbean'**


	4. Caribbean

**3\. Caribbean **

* * *

That night, Hailey and Jay were at Molly's having a beer or two with his brother and Sylvie Brett. Brett had come in with Foster but when Foster left early, Brett migrated over to their table. Neither of the Detectives minded, they liked the paramedic. Will had come just because, to catch up with everyone. That and he was lonely and the bar with his brother and his brother's partner seemed like a better option than an empty apartment.

Jay's phone vibrated with an incoming email and Hailey frowned, looking at the phone. Both were about one beer away from being pretty well inebriated and both way over the limit to drive. "When was the last time any of you went on vacation?" he asked.

Hailey looked at him. "That's a random question."

He shrugged. "Got one of those stupid emails from the airline with a promo offer and reminding me I have a shit ton of airmiles to use."

Brett took a sip of her drink. "Vacation? What's that?"

"No kidding. Somewhere in the Caribbean sounds amazing right now," Will said. It was below freezing in Chicago right now.

Hailey shrugged. "Mexico. Two Christmases ago. Whole family."

Brett cringed. "That doesn't sound like a relaxing vacation."

"It wasn't."

Jay turned to Hailey. "You know, we both do have 4 days off since we got our re-qual out of the way tonight."

"4 days off without you," Hailey pondered. "It's going to be nice."

Will just rolled his eyes. "Who the hell gets 4 days off in a row? Voight letting down his guard?"

Jay shrugged. "Voight is testifying in New York on a trial and hopefully spending time with Benson in the process since our cases overlap. Therefore, we have 4 days off coincidentally."

"Coincidentally is a big word to use at midnight while we are all drunk," Brett giggled.

Hailey was on her phone and her eyebrow rose as she started scrolling. "So lots of airmiles that expire eh, Jay?"

He looked at her. "Oh boy. What did you find?"

"You do have a passport, right?"

Jay laughed. "Of course."

"6 am flight, nonstop to Nassau. Gets back on Sunday at 7 pm."

Jay thought and then stood up. "I'm going to get another beer."

Will followed him to the bar where Hermmann was already getting two bottles out. "Are you crazy?! Going on vacation with your partner? Absolutely not."

Jay shrugged. "What's the worst that could come of it?"

Will's eyes got big. "You could blow your friendship and your partnership up, while stuck in a foreign country. You are drunk! You don't just go booking a flight with your fucking partner to the Bahamas!"

Meanwhile, Hailey turned to Brett for advice. She wouldn't normally ask the paramedic for advice or really lay out her feelings at all for her partner or talk about her personal life but she needed advice. "Do we do it?"

Brett raised her eyebrow. "You guys are drunk," she pointed out.

Hailey shrugged. "Sometimes we just gotta live in the moment."

"Well I mean, it could push you two in the right direction," Brett said. "You go through with this though, you need an exit strategy in case shit goes sideways."

Hailey chuckled. Brett did have a point but Hailey wasn't really thinking about that. She didn't really think a vacation with Jay would go south. If anything, it would be like Brett said- it would push them in the right direction. "I have your number."

Brett smiled. "Good. What about hotels?"

"Help?" Hailey asked.

Brett just took her phone and started looking through her phone for hotels in Nassau that could accommodate last minute requests if Jay actually agreed to this wild vacation idea.

Will and Jay came back to the table, beers in hand. Jay looked at Hailey. "I'm in if you're in."

She smiled. "Book some flights with those expiring airmiles, Halstead."

"So they have to be at the airport two hour early for an international flight, right?" Will asked. There was no convincing his brother now that this wasn't a completely idiotic, stupid idea. This was going to blow up in Jay and Hailey's faces and they were going to be in the Caribbean, in another country, when shit hit the fan between the two of them. But he couldn't wait to hear the stories out of this "vacation." If they didn't kill each other.

Hailey nodded as Jay started going through the booking process. "Yeah. I mean, it's 12:20 now. No sense in going to sleep since we have to pack. I think my bathing suits still fit me."

Brett shrugged. "We'll taken an Uber to your guys' places and then I can drive you. I'll be good to drive then."

"Thanks, Sylvie," Hailey said, appreciatively.

The paramedic nodded. "What about this hotel?" She showed the picture to Hailey.

Hailey shrugged. "I don't really care where we stay, as long as it has a bar and a pool."

"Agreed," Jay said, looking up from the phone. "Hey is your middle name on your passport?"

"Yeah," Hailey replied. She wondered if Jay knew what it was but he didn't ask so she figured he had probably seen her driver's license or her CPD sheet before.

"I can't believe you guys are doing this," Will said, in astonishment. Still.

Hailey shrugged. "Me either."

* * *

Two days later, Hailey and Jay were sitting by the pool in the later afternoon, drinks in hand. Surprisingly, everything went really smoothly at the airport and checking into the hotel- Brett had found them a good hotel. She had only booked it for the one night and said if they wanted to change it they could, but they liked it and booked it for the remainder of their stay in the Bahamas. One bed, of course.

He leaned over and kissed her gently and she just looked at him. "I've had a lot of stupid ideas drunk but I have to say, this was the smartest drunk idea I've had yet."

Hailey giggled, feeling the alcohol. And the kiss. But she raised her eyebrow at him. "Technically I was the one to come up with the Bahamas."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

* * *

**AN: I'm not the greatest at writing "fluff" so here's my attempt at it. And somewhat based on true events- I have booked plane tickets drunk for the next day. Worked out awesome. Sometimes ya just gotta live! **

**Next- D "Dosage" **


	5. Dosage

**4\. Dosage**

Jay was chasing some punk ass kids that belonged to the G-Park Lords through the projects. God this kid was fast. Jay was fast but he was having a hard time keeping up with this wannabe gang banger. It didn't also help that his chest felt like it had an elephant sitting on it and he couldn't catch his breath while he was running. Holy shit he felt like his legs were going to give out on him too, but more important he really couldn't breath.

Where the flying fuck was Antonio and Kim? This was supposed to be an easy pick up and Hailey wasn't with him. Finally he spotted Kim running down an adjacent block and breathed a little sigh of relief. However it wasn't good that she pretty much overtook him.

And thank God Antonio cut the dumbass wannabe off and tackled him to the ground so Jay could stop running. He was literally dying at this point.

Kim had the wannabe on the ground, about to be in handcuffs, still catching her own breath when Antonio looked at him with a concerned eye. "You okay, Halstead? Normally you would have had him."

Jay was doubled over, hands on his knees, gun still in hand. "I'm good."

The wannabe piped up. "I didn't run that far. You sound like you just finished the Boston Marathon."

Burgess tried hard not to laugh. "Kid has a point. I know you've had a cold but have you been taking any cold meds?"

Antonio shrugged. "Really might wanna up the dosage of those or maybe go see your brother. You look and sound horrible."

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Dude, I'm not that fast," the wannabe said.

"Oh shut up," Antonio said to the wannabe.

Burgess and Halstead rolled their eyes at the punk but also conceded he had a small point. Jay should have been able to overtake him a couple blocks before Antonio tackled him. And the wannabe definitely knew that. "Jay, you seriously need to go see another doctor. You are sick."

"Kim, I'm fine."

Antonio got on the radio. "1521 this is Bravo. Can you roll a squad car to pick up this punk ass kid and take him back to the station?" He turned to Jay. "Kim's taking you to the hospital."

Jay groaned but didn't protest. That's when Antonio and Burgess knew he was sick.

* * *

As luck would have it, the emergency doctor he got to see was his brother's ex- Dr. Natalie Manning. He really didn't care and he didn't think she cared either. To be honest, he was happy he didn't have to see Will although if he was getting treated by anybody in this hospital, he did prefer it be by Dr. Choi.

"Where's the partner?" Nat asked after Burgess dropped him off. She stayed long enough to make sure he wasn't going to make a run for it and then told him to call her when he needed a ride from the hospital.

Jay shrugged as she took his temperature. "Court."

Nat looked at him curiously. She knew enough about court cases and testifying for the prosecution that both partners on a case would usually be there. "Temperature is a little high."

"Old case from Robbery-Homicide," Jay offered. It was public information; on record somewhere that Hailey would be testifying today.

Natalie shrugged at him. "That cold of yours turned into pneumonia."

"Seriously?"

"Jay. How many times did Hailey tell you stay home from work or not come with her? I'm betting quite a few. Shoulda listened to her," Natalie lectured him as she left the room. "I'll get April to get you some antibiotics."

He was only waiting for a couple minutes, playing on his phone when he looked up. It wasn't April or Maggie with his meds. It was Hailey, in her going to go court suit. Damn, she looked good. She was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Natalie already told me," she said.

"I thought there was a rule on HIPAA laws or something," Jay said, sarcastically.

She narrowed her eyes. Natalie actually didn't really tell her anything other than he was pretty sick. "Can I say I told you so?"

Jay looked at her as he stood up as he saw April approaching. "Natalie didn't tell you," he tried guessing. He didn't think his ex-future sister in law would come out and tell his partner what he had but she would do it in a round about way that made Hailey push.

"No, but it doesn't take an idiot to figure out that the cold you had was going to turn into pneumonia. I figured I'd let you figure it out the hard way."

He looked at his partner. "How sweet of you."

April handed him the bottle of antibiotics and turned to Hailey. "Natalie said to tell you to make sure he takes them and the full dosage of each pill. All pills, no pill cutting, the whole bottle."

Hailey smiled. "I think that means I won."

"It's a good thing you're cute."

* * *

**Next up; E- "Expense"**

**Also- I'm going to need some ideas for this one. Like I said in the beginning, there are some words I randomly chose and this is one of them. So help a girl out with some story ideas for "Expense!"**


	6. Expense

**5\. Expense**

* * *

It was very early in the morning when Jay tried to slip out of bed without waking Hailey. He needed to get to the district and he didn't like not telling her things, but he really needed to keep this from her. And really, it was a lie of omission and not a straight up lie. He just hoped he could get out of bed and out the door before she noticed he was missing. It was an unlikely chance but he needed to take it.

Too late. She was stirring as he made his way around the room to grab clothes. "Where are you going?"

"For a run," he tried lying, as he slipped on a t-shirt.

She sat up on his oversized CPD shirt. She had never looked so gorgeous with messy hair and no makeup. She rubbed her eyes in the dark. "Bullshit," she looked at her phone and the time. "It's 5:27. Where are you going?"

He leaned down to kiss her. "Don't worry about it."

"Jay," she said warningly. "What is going on?"

He pulled a pair of jeans on and kissed her one more time. "If I end up dead, ask Platt." With that he left the room and closed the door, leaving Hailey even more confused on what was going on. What was going on with Trudy?

By the time he got to the district, the sun was beginning to rise. He sat down at his computer and he just about died of panic when he heard the door open. When he finally looked up, it was Adam who had brought breakfast.

"What did you tell Upton when you left this morning?" Adam asked as he handed over a breakfast sandwich.

Jay asked. "Fuck no. She'd have my head. Which may be better than the alternative we are doing now though."

Adam sighed as he logged onto his own computer. "Never leaving this to the last minute again. Or after the last minute."

They were an hour into their paperwork when they were discovered. Both had commented about wanting to turn music on, even at 6 in the morning, but also didn't want anyone to hear them. So they worked quietly until they heard very loud footsteps coming up the stairs.

Adam looked at Jay with a panicked look on his face. "Shit! Who is that?" he mouthed. Jay shrugged.

They both looked up to see Sergeant Trudy Platt, hands on her hips, staring at the boys. "Nice try, boys."

"Trudy," Jay said. "What can we do for you this morning?"

She arched an eyebrow. "Maybe give me your late expense reports?"

Adam coughed. "About that."

Platt nodded. "See, I check my email pretty often throughout the day. Burgess and Upton's expense reports were in my inbox by 9 am yesterday morning. By the time I left last night, so were Antonio and Atwater and even Voight's."

"We've been busy," Jay tried to say, flashing his megawatt smile that Hailey said never worked on her. She said it may work on other girls but she knew when he flashed that grin it was for no good purposes. This was one of those times.

Platt looked at Jay. "That smile ain't going to get you anywhere this morning, Halstead. "I specifically said all expense reports had to be submitted to be by 18:00 last night."

"Sarge, we've been really busy," Adam tried to say.

She interrupted him. "Save it, Ruzek. I knew you two boys would be in here at the break of dawn to try and beat me. Too bad you have to swipe in with your key to open the back door so I know what time you got here."

"What's the ask?" Jay asked.

Platt shook her head. "Those expense reports need to be in my inbox in 30 minutes or there will be hell to pay."

That was way better than either Jay or Adam were expecting. They were almost done anyways. Adam made a look at Jay and he just shrugged in return. Platt was halfway down the stairs when she stopped. "And you boys are mine for the rest of the day. And any and all jokes will be made at your expense."

"Funny, Sarge. But it's our day off," Adam started protesting.

She turned around on the stairs. "Not anymore. Next time, don't be late on your paperwork."

* * *

Hailey was making dinner that night when Jay walked in the door. It was often that she had a chance to actually make a decent meal so she was taking advantage of it, although pasta really wasn't that eloquent but it was homemade and it wasn't takeout or microwavable food. She had texted Jay and asked if he would be home and he did say yes so that is why she was making dinner. She truly didn't mind cooking but she just didn't do it much with her line of work.

"Smells good," Jay said when he walked in the door. He walked in with a 12 pack of beer and a bottle of Jameson's.

She eyed the bottle of Jameson's. She wasn't a whiskey drinker- she preferred gin. Jay usually stuck to his beer so she was surprised to see him coming home with hard liquor that wasn't gin. "What the hell did you do today?" She really didn't care what he did, she wasn't that type of girlfriend, but she sure as hell wanted to know what made him bring home a bottle of Jameson's.

Jay rubbed his face. "I don't want to talk about it."

Hailey stirred the noodles. "Was it CPD related?"

He collapsed on the couch and opened the beer. "Yes."

Suddenly she realized why he ran out of the house so early and why he had a bad day. "You didn't finish your expense report last night and you thought you could sneak into the office before Platt got in. Am I right?"

"It's a good thing CPD already made you a Detective," Jay muttered.

Hailey burst out laughing. "Wow, Jay. That is a dumb move. No wonder you said if you ended up dead to ask Platt. And let me guess, she had your ass?"

"And Adam's."

Hailey drained the noodles and then faced Jay who was still sitting on the couch. "I'm not going to start cracking jokes at your expense because I'm sure Platt did that already but I can't believe you did that."

"Voight doesn't really care about late paperwork too much and late expense reports but Platt took that over two months ago and I didn't realize how hard it was to stay on top of all that."

She shook her head at her boyfriend. "You know, there's a wonderful tool on your phone that will help you. It's in the notes section. You just take a picture of your receipt. That way you can keep track of it."

Jay just looked at her. "Is that how you and Kim got yours done so early?"

Again, she just looked at him. "Yeah."

He looked at her and then looked at the kitchen. "Thanks for cooking dinner tonight," he said appreciatively.

Hailey looked at Jay on the couch and then back at the kitchen. "You're welcome. But one thing before we eat; I would have paid money to see Platt make you and Ruzek her bitches for the day."

Jay just sat down further into the couch and turned on the Cubs game. It was apparent his long day was not over and Hailey was not going to let him live this one down. He deserved it though and he was certainly not going to be late on paperwork again because firstly, he didn't want to be on the receiving end of Hailey's jokes and second, Platt was scary. He learned his lesson.

* * *

**AN: So... I didn't do my own expense report before leaving to have knee surgery. I got a very angry text from our accountant asking where my expense report was for month end. WHOOPS. And there you get "expense." **

**P.S. Thanks for all the reviews. And all ideas are welcomed so for the next one- who's family do we want involved? **

**Next- F- "Family"**


	7. Family

**6\. Family**

* * *

The first time Jay met Hailey's nephew and any member of Hailey's family was when he tracked her down at the ballpark where Hayden Upton was playing. They had only been partnered for three months but every Tuesday, she left at 5:30 pm without fail. Jay thought it was a little odd because she was more than willing to stay late any other night, but not Tuesdays. And it seemed Voight knew exactly what was going on. Eventually he got extremely curious after she had a bad day and tracked her phone. He was left to track her phone because he knew she'd spot a tail and well, curiosity got the best of him and he needed to make sure she was okay after that day.

She was on her phone, scrolling through the regular apps to pass the time, like Instagram and Facebook. She usually stayed for Hayden's games, the entirety of them, however, she didn't stay and talk to the other parents. Some of them thought she was Hayden's mom, some of them knew she was his aunt. Sometimes she would talk to Hayden's assistant coach and see how he was doing.

The assistant coach slid over and talked to her, with Hayden coming up to bat next. "You gotta get him into a different school. Where he can really show his stuff."

Hailey sighed. "I know."

"He's good, Hailey. He's really good. He needs to have scouts beating down his door." They both watched Hayden go up to the plate and take a swing at the first ball the opposing pitcher threw at him. It sailed over the fence.

Hailey sighed again as she watched her nephew run around the bases. "Scouts, Marcus?"

"Scouts. Hey, you know this guy?" the assistant coach said, nodding to Jay who was approaching.

Hailey nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for the talk. I'll talk to Hayden's mom tonight."

Jay slid onto the benches beside her. "Kid can bat."

She ran her hand through her hair. "He can."

Hayden was just going into the dugout when he smiled at his aunt but also frowned at the new man sitting beside her. Jay turned to Hailey. "He's a dead ringer for you."

She smiled at the backhanded compliment. "He is."

Jay watched another inning, where Hayden played shortstop before turning to Hailey again. "Does he have games every Tuesday?"

"He does. His dad, who is stationed in California, is pretty much a dead-beat dad and Sarah, his mom, is a nurse who works a lot to support the two of them. So I come to his games every Tuesday when Sarah isn't working, which seems to be every Tuesday. Someone else usually takes him to practice."

"You're a good aunt, Hailey."

She shrugged. "Just trying to make up for my brother's shitty ass mistakes. He's a good kid who got dealt a shitty hand and thankfully he got some athletic ability in there."

The game was almost over. "I know you had a bad day and then you had to spend your night at a ballpark so why don't I take you and Hayden out for dinner?"

Hailey raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to do that. My family stuff is my family stuff."

"Ah come on. It's what partners do. We help each other out."

* * *

The second time Jay meets Hayden is when Hailey is in a big bind and Hayden has a game. This time on a Friday. They finally get him on a travel team, which is something his high school coaches had been pushing for awhile. A travel team would be able to get him to showcase his stuff on a bigger level and get him more noticed. But it was a lot more commitment. Voight knew the situation and was more than understanding; and Hailey even told Antonio what was going on so Antonio could cover for her if needed. She told Jay the bare minimum, which he took from her considering she didn't like talking about her family.

Except this Friday afternoon, she was in an interrogation and getting really close to getting a confession with a suspect and couldn't leave. Jay saw the panic on her face as she looked at her watch. Finally he sent her a text to come outside.

"Look, I'll pick up Hayden and bring him to the game. You can meet us there."

Hailey arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Like I said, my family stuff is my family stuff and I don't like it getting in the way of work."

"Hailey, I got this," Jay reassured her.

She smiled thanks in return and told him she'd text Hayden to let him know she wasn't picking him up from school and Jay to let him know where to meet Hayden. She returned to the interrogation room a little more at ease, but she certainly wasn't okay with not being at one of Hayden's close city games.

Jay was parked outside Hayden's school when he saw the 16 year old appear. The kid didn't have the swagger that he had last time Jay saw him and while Jay didn't know him, that worried him a little. Hayden threw his stuff in the backseat of Jay's truck and then climbed in the front seat.

"Thanks for picking me up," Hayden said.

Well, at least he had manners, unlike most of the 16 year olds Jay dealt with on a regular basis. "No problem. Hailey said she would come by when she could."

"It will be weird not having her there. She pretty much comes to all my games," Hayden said.

Jay glanced at the kid. "Who else comes to your games?"

He shrugged. "My mom when she's not working but that's pretty rare. Sometimes my grandma but she doesn't really like baseball. She sort of just drops me off and picks me up at practices which helps."

"But it's not the same."

"No."

Jay looked in his mirror as he changed lanes. "You doing alright, kid?"

Hayden leaned back in the seat and debated how much to tell the virtual stranger. Jay also knew the look- it was the first time in a long time someone had really asked Hayden how he was doing. "The pressure and expectations are a lot now that I'm on a travel team. Everyone's expecting me to be the next Mike Trout."

"Scouts are already talking to you?"

"Yeah. There's a lot of eyes on me."

Jay sighed. "Is there anyone helping you out with this decision making process?"

He shrugged. "Not really. My assistant coach from my high school is really helpful but neither of my coaches played MLB level ball. I have coaches from Universities wanting to talk to me as well."

"Do you know if you want to go straight to the draft or go to school first?"

Hayden sighed. "At this point, half of me just wants to enlist and follow my old man's path and not worry about all this shit."

That's when Jay almost laughed. "Yeah, no. You don't."

Hayden looked at the Detective. "You don't know shit about that."

Jay laughed. "The Ranger tab on my Army uniform says I do. Kid, I'm not going to preach about baseball because I don't know that much but I do know the military so I will about this. You got talent. Don't waste it by enlisting and being a grunt."

The kid played with his phone. "Hailey would kill me."

"Look, if you really want to think about the military, look at West Point and yes, I am a little biased being former Army. You can still play ball at a D-1 school, they suck at baseball but it's still a D-1 school, you can be an officer, you can get a great education and your aunt and I have the connections to get you a recommendation from a Senator. Hell, Chris Rowley went to West Point and eventually ended up in the MLB. Don't get me wrong, I'm still not advocating for you and the military."

Hayden looked at Jay. "You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do it because you are your aunt's nephew and she's my partner, but yeah."

Hayden unlocked his phone. "Thanks. I really will think about it."

* * *

The third time Jay meets Hailey's nephew is a couple weeks after he talked to him about West Point. It was a routine day until Hailey got a call from Hayden's school telling her that he wasn't at school. The school had tried Sarah, Hayden's mom, to let her know and she wasn't picking up so they tried Hailey. Hayden skipping class and not going to school was really unlike him and that's why it set warning bells off for the school. Hailey didn't blame them for calling her and thanked them for the call.

She tried Hayden multiple times but no answer. The voicemail she left on his phone was something like this- "Hayden, answer your fucking phone or else." Jay even tried calling Hayden but again, no answer. Sarah wasn't answering her phone either so that left Hailey to find the kid. Normally she wouldn't panic too much about a kid who skipped school at 16 years old, as she dealt with a lot of juvenile's who did it all the time, but this was really out of character for Hayden. Not only was he an all-star athlete, he was a pretty damn good academic too. This was one of Hailey's worst fears was that he would blow his chance at his athletic career by falling in with the wrong crowd.

Her and Jay nonchalantly checked out his school and talked to his best friend who said he hadn't seen Hayden all day. Next stop was Sarah's house, which was predictably empty. Hayden's grandparent's house yielded no results. Hailey also tried both of Hayden's coaches who hadn't heard from him all day. She was trying hard not to panic.

Finally they got back in Jay's truck and he sighed. "I think it's time we ping his phone.

She looked conflicted. "I really don't want to do that."

"Yeah, I get that. I wouldn't want to either but I also don't see how we find him any other way."

Hailey leaned back in the truck seat. "Call Kev, do it off the books." Atwater was probably the only one who would do a phone ping off the books for a rogue 16 year old, after his time raising Jordan and Vanessa.

Kevin got back to them quickly- an address that pointed them to Garfield Park and Jay figured he'd probably be a the diamonds there. Wasn't Hayden's neighborhood so they weren't sure why he was there but they'd go and pick him up.

Jay spotted him from the road, sitting on the empty bleachers, tossing a baseball in his hands. Hailey was about to go rip her nephew a new but Jay stopped her. "I'll go. Stay here." He considered it a huge moment of trust between his partner and him when she just gave him a dirty look but didn't say anything further.

Hayden raised an eyebrow when he saw Jay approaching. The raising the eyebrow look reminded Jay so much of Hailey. "Huh."

"I'm the only thing that is standing in between your aunt in the truck reading you the riot act for going off the grid, so make it good," Jay said, as he sat beside him.

"I didn't feel like going to school today," Hayden shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't think anybody would notice."

Jay could appreciate that. More often that not, his own dad didn't really know where he was when he was a teenager and he and Will were left to their own devices. "I get it. I won't bust your balls over that. Why not answer any our calls, though?"

To his defense, Hayden did look sheepish about that. "I turned my phone on do not disturb this morning. I truly haven't looked at it all day."

"Breakup with a girlfriend recently as well?"

Again, Hayden looked sheepish. "Something like that."

"Alright, kid. I'll give you a pass on this one. Might need to make it more convincing to Hailey, though."

"She's gonna kill me, isn't she?"

Jay sighed. "She's worried about you. I don't blame her. Look, I'm not about to let you be alone by yourself roaming the streets of Chicago so why don't you spend the rest of the day down at the District with us and we'll go get dinner later, you, me and your aunt."

Hayden reluctantly stood and followed Jay to the truck. "For being a cop, you and my aunt aren't so bad."

* * *

**Next- G; Gavel **


	8. Gavel

**7\. Gavel**

* * *

"I don't like the look of that," Atwater said as ASA Jack Downey strode up the stairs, with a tight scowl on his face.

Adam looked at Jay and then Hailey, both of them shrugging. "No kidding. Any idea what he's here about?" ASA Downey was a heavy hitter and didn't make drive by visits to Intelligence just to chat.

Kim bit her lip and shrugged. "No idea. But it doesn't look good."

Downey went into Voight's office and the door slammed closed. Jay looked at Hailey. "Downey doesn't make social calls."

Voight popped his head out of the office. "Upton, I need to talk to you."

All eyes shifted towards her as she got up her desk and went into Voight's office and closed the door behind her. She had absolutely no idea why she was being called onto the carpet. "Downey," she greeted.

Downey pretty much glared at her and handed her a file. "Edward Russell's case just got overturned on an appeal and the judge wants a new trial."

Hailey's mouth dropped a little bit. "On what ground did he win the appeal?" She usually followed high profile cases, especially ones that tried to appeal, but this one... This blindsided her because she stopped caring about Edward Russell, the minute the judge banged the gavel on second degree murder on his first case. She had to as a coping mechanism.

"Technicality with the jurors. We're going to do the new trial."

"How? McGrady testified for you," Hailey said. She remembered this case very well and the thought of Edward Russell's name sent chills down her spine. That was not a good time in her career, or her life.

Downey rolled his eyes. "That's a big problem because he's dead. However, we did have another undercover cop who witnessed Edward Russell beat up and kill that hooker."

Hailey looked at Voight and pleaded to be let out. He shook his head. "No."

"We're also going to be adding new charges of pimping, solicitation of a prostitute and drug trafficking given new evidence," Downey said. "And you're going to be our star witness."

"Fuck no," Hailey said. "McGrady testified for you because he knew I wanted nothing to do with this case. You knew that three years ago, why are you here now?"

"Because McGrady isn't here and you are. Russell needs to go away and I need your testimony on the stand."

"I'm not testifying."

"I'll subpoena you."

Hailey shook her head and opened the door. She couldn't get out of this one and she knew Downey was desperate enough to subpoena her to testify. She had to. So she turned back to Downey after the door was opened. "You're a real son a bitch."

Downey turned back to Voight. "You know I have no other choice but to have her testify. She's the key to putting this guy away again."

"You didn't have to be a dick about it. One thing though; complete publication ban on her name as the witness. Or I will get her out of testifying."

"You can't do that," Downey looked at Voight.

The head of Intelligence stared down the lawyer. "Complete publication ban of her name. Upton's name gets leaked in a single media source; I will come for your head on a spear. Don't underestimate my power, Downey."

* * *

Four weeks later, Hailey was sitting in between Voight and Jay. Her head was resting on Voight's shoulder as she was so mentally exhausted with this entire case and reliving what happened undercover with McGrady at that club. She was just done. No part of her wanted to go through with this trial and it didn't help that she was sicker that a dog with a horrible cold. The judge and defense counsel both looked at her in pity when she testified but Downey didn't want to postpone her testimony. He needed it then, her being sick be damned. True to his word, and Voight's threats, her name was kept out of the media.

Judge Tom Colloway looked up from his papers. "I find the defendant guilty on these charges- drug trafficking of a controlled substance, solicitation of a prostitute and murder in the second degree. Sentencing will be next week." He banged the gavel, letting the people in the galley know, he was done and had reached a verdict.

Hailey let out the breath she had been holding. "If I ever see that prick Downey again," she muttered.

"I think he'll stay far away from you and Intelligence," Voight whispered. "You did good. Now let your partner take you home."

Jay had his arm around her back loosely as he followed her out of the courtroom and courthouse and to his truck. "Do you want to grab a beer a talk about it?"

She shook her head. "Just take me home. I feel awful." She meant that metaphorically and figuratively. She was losing her voice and she just wanted to be in her own home and not see people.

Jay started the truck after she got in. He waited to pull out of the parking lot. "What exactly happened with you and McGrady that you didn't testify to?"

"It was right before we went undercover in that club. He said some things I didn't appreciate. And then threw me under the bus for not following that hooker out of the women's bathroom after I went in there." The rest of the story had been laid out in the trial- Hailey and Sean McGrady had gone into the back alley because they thought their night was done. They came around the corner to see Edward Russell shooting the hooker. They had Russell dead to rights on murder.

Jay closed his eyes. "And that's how McGrady tried to jam you up every time you were up for promotion?"

"Well before and definitely after. We worked together a lot. That case was the tipping point though. I had no way of even knowing that hooker was going into the back alley; she wasn't on our radar. We didn't know who she was. Our focus was on Russell. I blamed McGrady because he was supposed to have eyes on Russell but he lost him in the crowd."

"And McGrady was senior of you two, so his version of events stuck."

"Something like that. And I've seen people get shot but watching a drug dealer shoot a defenceless woman, no matter if she was a prostitute, is not something I want to witness," Hailey said.

Jay grasped her hand and held it. "Thanks for telling me."

"Thanks for being there for me at the trial. You didn't have to be."

"You're my partner, of course I will be there. And for what it's worth, Downey's a bastard for making you testify."

She smiled lightly. "You heard what I said a month ago about him being a son of a bitch?"

He smiled. "I think we all did, and we all knew it was on purpose."

"Nothing gets by you."

He winked at her. "Not much. Now lets get you home and get some cold meds into you."

* * *

**Next- H for Hangover**

**What do we want the hangover to be from? I will try and pick an idea from in the reviews to try and write a story on. **


	9. Hangover

**8\. Hangover**

* * *

Jay was getting coffee for him and Antonio before they headed out to sit on a house they were interested in. It was not a normal Starbucks that they went to and it didn't have a drive thru but both him and Antonio desperately needed the coffee after a late night trying to get the search warrant to sit on the house. He had already had a couple coffees that day but he needed another shot of caffeine to keep him going.

He had a bulletproof vest on when he entered the Starbucks, one that said "Halstead, Intelligence Unit" on the front of it. He just had his normal service weapon on him, not his second weapon as well, like he usually had when he kicked a door down. He had just finished getting both coffees, and thankfully not too many odd looks to see a cop in the Starbucks, when he was approached.

"Jay Halstead?" The man said.

Jay tried to rack his brain on where he knew this man. He couldn't think of it. He was blanking. And then the vision of him sitting in a US Army recruiter's office, with that very man sitting across from him as he signed his life away on the dotted line, flashed in his brain. "Staff Sergeant Hall?"

Staff Sergeant David Hall held out his hand to greet Jay. "First Sergeant Hall now," he grinned as Jay maneuvered the coffee's to shake his hand in return. "Always thought you were a lifer."

Jay shrugged. "So did I," he said, referring to the fact that he thought he was going to do his 20 year bid in the Army. "So did I."

"Being a cop looks good on you," Hall said.

Jay just shrugged. "What are you doing back in Chicago?" The Army didn't have any Army bases near by so Hall had to be on leave.

Hall smiled. "Seeing my son. It's his birthday today."

Jay half smiled. "I guess today would make it the anniversary of my enlistment then, huh?"

"That was a good day."

Jay grabbed a card from his vest pocket and handed it to Hall. "If you're still on leave for a couple more days, hit me up and we can go get a beer for old times sake."

Hall took the card. "Absolutely"

Jay walked back to the truck slowly, thinking about all the years that had transpired since he had last seen then Staff Sergeant Hall at the Army recruiters office A lot of memories were starting to resurface. He opened the SUV door and handed the other coffee to Antonio silently.

"You look like you saw a ghost."

"Something like that."

* * *

Jay was the last one at the office, by design, working on some reports that he was somewhat behind on. Usually Hailey took care of the reports but he told her he would do it today. She left with an eyebrow raised and the look that said the conversation wasn't over with. He was almost done when footsteps coming up the steps surprised him. Kelly Severide was definitely a surprise.

"Voight around?" Severide asked.

Jay shrugged. "Haven't seen him in awhile."

Severide looked around the empty office. "Burning the midnight oil, eh?"

"Same could be said about you. What do you need Voight for?"

"Don't worry about it," Severide replied. "Let's go get a drink and catch up."

Jay started to say no but he also knew from experience that saying the word no to Severide about drinking wasn't really a possibility so he reluctantly signed off his computer. "I could use a drink."

Severide just looked at Jay. "This should be a good night then."

About three drinks in and two shots later, Jay finally opened up to Severide about what was bugging him. "Ran into my recruiter today."

Whatever Severide thought was bugging him, it wasn't that. Kelly honestly was erring more on the side of issues with Lindsay leaving or problems with Upton. He knew hat Halstead still had his Army related demons, as did a lot of former service members, but he didn't expect that. "When was the last time you talked to Mouse?"

Jay shrugged. "A year ago? He was spun up to Syria and I haven't really heard anything since." He sensed Severide's hesitation in asking the horrible question. "I would know if he died, because I would have had a visit from the casualty assistance officer as I'm his next of kin."

"Your recruiter say anything to you?"

Jay sipped the beer. "Saw the gun and the bulletproof vest and just said he would have pegged me as a lifer when I signed the dotted line."

Severide laughed. "I think a lot of people can say they thought they were lifers and only ended up doing one contract."

"That was it for me. I couldn't do it. Realized there was more to life outside of Ft. Benning."

The CFD Firefighter finally got the balls to ask the question he had been wanting to for awhile when Hermann passed them another two beers. "Why talk about this to me?"

The shrug was given as an answer. "You're a friend."

Severide was starting to get concerned for his friend. "Not that I mind drinking with you Halstead, but I'm sure your partner is willing to listen to you."

"Hails doesn't need to hear this shit about the Army."

And that's when Severide knew Jay was in deep with his partner. He called her by her nickname. So when Jay went to the washroom after another beer, Severide called Hailey Upton to come pick a very inebriated Jay up from Molly's. He thankfully had her number from a previous case where she had helped out Stella with something so he didn't have to go searching through Jay's phone. And thankfully Hailey answered on the first ring and got to the bar fast.

She walked in to Molly's in sweats and an oversized CPD t-shirt and her hair up as she was just planning on going to bed when she saw the firefighter's name on her phone. Severide spotted her immediately when she opened the door to the bar. "Oh thank God."

She sighed. "How bad?"

"He's pretty drunk. I haven't cut him off yet but if you weren't going to get here soon, I was."

Hailey looked at the CFD Firefighter. "Anything I should know?"

"Don't let him out of your sight." He would let Jay open up to Hailey himself about his Army struggles.

* * *

The next morning, she was up at 06 30 as she always was on week days. She silently got out of bed, ignoring the sleeping body of her partner next to her. She was a little hesitant of putting him in her bed with her but she also took Kelly Severide's words to heart- don't let him out of your sight. Her spare bedroom had no sheets on it as she was doing laundry and she also knew her couch made for a really shitty night sleep after drinking. So her bed it was.

She made coffee and ate breakfast, scrolled through the news and Jay still wasn't up yet. She was a little surprised so she went back into her room, this time making her footsteps a little louder. That didn't work so she grabbed a pillow and threw at him. She knew his instinct was to reach for a gun under his pillow but she also knew there wasn't one there so she wasn't worried.

She waited for a couple seconds until he blinked awake. "How's the hangover, sleepy?"

Jay sat up in her bed. "Where? What?" he was very confused at where he was. He had never been in Hailey's bedroom before- her house yes, bedroom, no.

"You just woke up in my bed," she answered for him, sitting on the corner of the bed.

He tried to put the pieces together, also realizing he had no clothes on, save for his boxers. "What happened?" He didn't think he slept with her but he also didn't remember and he did not want the first time sleeping with his partner to be under those circumstances. But she was also smiling with a mischievous look on her face, which made him even more confused.

"Severide called me. You were pretty drunk. Told me not let you out of my sight, which I agreed with. Which is how you ended up in my bed."

Jay rubbed his face with his hand, relieved to know that beyond drinking his face off, he didn't do anything momentously stupid. He had a tendency to do that when memories of the Army came up and alcohol was involved. "I ran into my recruiter yesterday while getting coffee for Antonio and me."

Hailey smiled as he slowly opened up to her. "I figured it was something like that."

"Thanks for picking me up last night. And not letting me sleep on the couch," he said, still sitting up in the bed. His back definitely would thank him later for not sleeping on Hailey's couch.

She handed him a Gatorade bottle that she had brought into the room with her. "Come on. I'll make you breakfast so you aren't as hungover today."

Jay slowly started to climb out of bed. "You're saying I can't mask the hangover with my good looks?" He joked. His head was pounding and he was definitely nauseous. This hangover was a bitch and he doubted Hailey would have any sympathy for him for the rest of today besides making him breakfast.

She laughed as she walked out of the room. "Not a chance, Halstead."

* * *

**Next- I; "Irresistible." **


	10. Irresistible

**9\. Irresistible.**

* * *

**To: Hayden Upton  
****Haven't seen you in awhile. Want to do something tonight?**

Hailey was writing reviewing a report that Atwater had written. He had to submit it to Vice about a case they were working on and they had requested Intelligence's help. Atwater always admitted writing reports wasn't his forte and Kim had already left for the night so Atwater asked her for a second pair of eyes before turning it into Vice. She finished the report and told Atwater he was good to send it off to Vice for them to scrutinize more.

To her surprise, her nephew replied actually quickly to her text.

**From: Hayden Upton  
****Uhhhh I have to go workout but we can probably grab dinner after**

**To: Hayden Upton  
****I have a better idea. Why don't I pick you up and we can workout together and then get some of that irresistible pizza that you love and ruin the workout? **

She was already dreading his response because her 17 year old nephew was in way better shape than her, being an all-star baseball player. But she had an idea for a workout that he probably didn't do too much so she would have the upper hand. She wasn't surprised that he texted back quickly and readily agreed to her idea and dropped her a pin of his location. The address told her he wasn't at Sarah, his mom's, but if he wasn't hiding his location she wasn't too worried about the teenager. That and he did know she was a cop and had the resources to trace his phone- she and Jay had done it before.

After picking up her nephew, she ushered her him into the backdoor of Antonio's gym. She hadn't boxed in awhile, actually it was a long time since she had been to this gym. It brought back some memories of Antonio teaching her how to box properly. She really should come back here more…

"You box before?" she asked Hayden.

He shrugged. "A couple times. Chris' dad took us to his boxing gym before," he said. Hailey knew that her nephew's best friend, Chris's dad had really stepped in as a father figured to Hayden. Because Hayden's own father certainly wasn't much of a father to his own son. She appreciated Chris' parents for helping out with Hayden and they had recently talked about Hayden either coming to live with them or even potentially with Hailey. Him living with Sarah wasn't doing him any favors and he needed a little more structure in his life- something he even knew. He was about to go into his senior year and he did not need to screw up and lose a full ride scholarship.

"You up to kicking my ass?" Hailey asked.

"Can I kick your partner's ass as well?"

She looked at Hayden. "I'd love to see you try so sure. I'll text him."

After Hayden thoroughly schooled Hailey in the ring, which she was fully expecting after he said that he had boxed a couple times before, she was a little glad for her partner to show up. One on one time with her nephew was super important but Hayden also needed some positive male influence in his life because the only one he had at this point was his best friend's dad. Jay walked through the back door of the gym and Hailey's stomach did a little fluttering.

"Hayden says he's going to kick your ass."

Jay laughed. "Right. I think that's a bring it on statement, kid."

Hayden narrowed his eyes at Jay. Jay was tall but Hayden still had a good inch or two on him and a little more muscle. The kid was an athlete and he spent a lot of time in the gym and on the baseball diamond. "Bring it on Halstead."

"Your funeral, kid."

In the end, it was a pretty evenly matched bout. Jay had boxed some before but Hayden had more raw natural talent at boxing and athletic ability. Jay was sincerely impressed when they ended the match. "I'm a little impressed."

"Thanks," Hayden said. "I have one more request, though."

"That's a lot of requests in one day," Jay muttered.

Hayden smiled at his next comment. "I want to see you and Hailey in the boxing ring. I was going to phrase that differently but it sounded a little too dirty."

* * *

As Jay, Hailey and Hayden were entering the restaurant to go get the pizza Hailey called divine, Jay whispered in her ear, "seeing you in the ring and after a workout makes you a little irresistible right now."

"Walking on a thin line right now Halstead," she shot back, but smiling.

They sat down and gave their order to the waitress and Hayden dropped the bombshell on the two Detectives. "Dad's in town."

To her credit, Hailey didn't let any emotions show on her face about Danny Upton being in town. "On leave?"

"That's the line he's going with. Surprised he didn't go to Florida with the newest girlfriend," Hayden rolled his eyes.

Hailey thought about it for a minute. "Were you supposed to be with your Dad tonight and you bailed on him?"

Hayden thought about that for a second. "We hadn't made plans yet."

Jay laughed. "I won't get in the middle of this but that was some very good obfuscating of the truth right there."

Hayden smiled. "Thanks, I thought so too."

Hailey took a deep breath. "Why aren't you with Danny tonight?"

The 17 year old shrugged and deadpanned at the two sitting across from him. "You two are so much cooler than that motherfucker I call a father."

Hailey couldn't contain her laughter anymore. "You're welcome to hangout with us anytime. Right, Halstead?"

"Anytime, Hayden. Anytime."

* * *

**10\. Jugular**

**AN: I'm back... I guess. I really didn't/haven't found any inspiration from Chicago PD lately. I did watch the premiere and the muse sort of came back so this is what you get! As always, please leave your thoughts and any ideas for future chapters. The index of words for future chapters can be found in Chapter 1. This might help the creative brain get going a little more. **


	11. Jugular

**10\. Jugular**

* * *

Hailey and Jay were leaving their favorite breakfast diner, Tina's, headed to the district. Both of them had woken up early and decided that instead of a workout, they should have breakfast. It sounded like a great idea at the time. And then they realized how late they were becoming.

The radio crackled. "All units available. Reports of shots fired on 229 St S. No other information available yet."

Hailey looked at Jay, who was driving and he just nodded. He figured they were 5 blocks from there. "Dispatch, plain clothes officers responding. 5 blocks out."

They came down the street, lights on the truck flashing, to two teenage black kids on the street. One was bleeding out, the other was trying to help him. Jay looked at Hailey with an eyebrow raised as he got out of his truck, hand on his gun. Hailey also got out of her truck with her hand on her gun. She really didn't like the look of this.

The kid who wasn't bleeding out looked at Jay and Hailey. "I don't know the difference between carotid and jugular vein but my guess is he's bleeding out of one of them." That was evidenced by the blood pouring out of the kid's hands, as he was trying desperately to stop the bleeding.

Hailey radioed for dispatch to send an ambulance stat to their location. She highly doubted the guy bleeding on the ground would make it until their ambulance came. She wondered what exactly what happened here. The kid trying to save the kid bleeding didn't exactly look like your prototype gangbanger.

"What's your name?" Jay asked. If the kid moved his hands, the guy bleeding would probably die, given the amount of blooding pouring onto the street. The guy was probably already dead but Jay and Hailey didn't want him to know that.

"Aaron Davis."

Jay sighed. "Alright, Aaron. The ambulance is on it's way. You can't remove your hands until they get here. Is that okay."

"I kinda figured that when you didn't tell me to move and take over," Aaron said, looking at the two CPD Detectives. "A lot of blood pours out of a carotid or jugular vein and my hand is probably the only thing that's keeping him alive."

Hailey looked at Jay and raised an eyebrow. He wasn't dumb, that's for sure. "Aaron, while we wait for the ambulance to show up and you can't move your hand, what exactly happened?"

Aaron tried to shrug. "Drive by."

"You did neglect to tell us his name, who you are trying to save."

Aaron sighed. "Reggie Davis. My cousin."

Jay sighed. He knew Reggie. He just didn't recognize him with Aaron half over top of him and blood coming out of his neck. "Reggie is a Southside Hustler. I haven't seen you around though. You runnin' with the same crew?"

"If I was, I wouldn't be trying to save him. I'd be getting my ass out of Dodge."

Hailey looked at her partner. Aaron had a point. "We will make sure to make sure you aren't running with the Southside Hustler's. Where were you at the time of the drive by?"

Aaron tried to point to the bookstore across the street. "The bookstore. Told Reggie to wait outside."

While Jay handled the incoming ambulance, Hailey dialed Atwater. "Hey, can you get me everything you got on an Aaron Davis? Probably around 17."

There was some clicking in the background before Atwater's voice came on. "He's clean. Address shows he lives ride on the border of Southside Hustler gang territory, has a partime job at a convenience store not in gang territory and goes to Central Heights High School. The only thing on this kid is that he's cousins with Reggie and Kahlia Davis."

"Yeah, Reggie's bleeding out on the street here."

"That's… unfortunate," Atwater said. There was no love lost between Intelligence and Reggie. "Catch you on the flip side."

Brett and Foster had gotten out of the ambulance and were making their way to Reggie, Aaron and Davis. Brett's grim face told the whole story. If Reggie wasn't already dead from blood loss, he would be by the time they moved Aaron's hands an got him to the nearest hospital. Jay could see Brett trying to figure out if he was easier to have Aaron not move his hands and do it at the emergency room or do it here. Either way, she was signing Reggie's death certificate and Jay did not want to be in Brett's shoes.

Thankfully one of the fire trucks came to help with the process as it wouldn't be an easy task. "We're going to get him onto the stretcher and then we will change hands," Brett decided.

Casey caught Jay's eyes and grimaced as well. They all knew this outcome and Jay felt a little sorry for Aaron. He tried to save Reggie but blood pouring from a vein- carotid or jugular was too hard to save, this far out from a hospital. They got Reggie on the stretcher in to time and Brett made the call to change hands. Before Aaron could realize who's blood he had all over his hands, Casey gave him a towel and Jay ushered him to his truck.

"Is there anyone you can call? Your mom? Kahlia?" Jay asked as he gave Aaron a cup of coffee in the break room in Intelligence.

Aaron shrugged. "No, man. My mama doesn't want anything to do with Reggie and Kahlia. Says they are up to no good all the time. She's right. She'll have my ass when she finds out I was with Reggie."

Kevin came into the break room for his own coffee and sat down on the chair next to Aaron while Jay leaned against the counter, coffee in hand. He wasn't sure where Hailey was but she did mention something about going to the hospital for Reggie's official death paperwork, as morbid as that sounded, she said. "Why were you with Reggie?"

"He came into the store last night where I was working. Told him to get lost but I'd talk to him today. I don't know what he wanted. I truly don't. I needed to read a chapter on the Louisiana Purchase for an essay in school and the library didn't have it, so I figured I'd go down to the bookstore. Mrs. Percy lets me read the books there. Told Reggie to meet me outside. Next thing I know it's a drive by."

Jay shook his head. He legitimately felt sorry for the kid and he knew Kevin did too. Something about this kid tugged on his heart strings. "Reggie ever approach you about being in the gang?"

"Yeah."

"How'd you get out of not being in the gang?" Kevin asked. He was a little curious on that.

"My mama pulled a gun on him one afternoon after she heard him talking about it to me and told him not to show his face ever around our house again. Reggie's always been scared of her. Hell, I am too."

Kevin smiled. "And Reggie was high up enough in the Southside's that when he told them that you were off limits, they listened."

"What does your mama do for work?" Jay asked.

Aaron smiled. "She's a bus driver."

"You seem like a good kid, what do you want to do when you graduate?" Kevin asked.

Aaron sighed. "I want to be a lawyer. Get out of the southside."

"That's pretty ambitious. You have good grades, you seem pretty down about the goals though."

The kid shrugged. "I can get scholarships to junior college maybe but that doesn't cover all the tuition and if I make it that far, law school is expensive. I don't want that much student loan debt."

Jay was thinking. "Ever think of the military as a way out?"

Aaron shrugged again. "A little. I saw a recruiter one time at my high school but he didn't say much. Most of the kids around here look down upon it though."

"Ignore them. Serving your country is a great opportunity," Kevin said.

"And you have a chance to get college paid for. You can get a ROTC or NROTC scholarship to a lot of good schools, have your education paid for, become an officer and do a 5 year contract. And maybe get the military to pay for law school while you're at it," Jay smiled.

Aaron looked up at both men. "Seriously, that's an option?"

"There's even West Point or the Naval Academy. Do you play sports or volunteer anywhere?"

"I play volleyball. I'm on a travel team and I volunteer at the library when I can."

Jay and Kevin were very impressed at the young man sitting in front of them. "We can help you, brother, if you're willing to put in the work. You good with that?"

"Yeah, I can do that," Aaron replied, smiling.

* * *

10 months later, Hailey, Jay and Kevin were dropping Aaron off at his first day in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He had put in the hard work, obtained a 4.0 his senior year of high school, while playing club volleyball on a competitive team, working part-time at the convenience store, he had also started volunteering at the VA as well as the library and helped support his mom. And accepted a ROTC Army scholarship to the University of Michigan. All three CPD Detectives thought he was a little super human but he had done it and they had supported him and helped him get the scholarship. They were incredibly proud of him and knew he'd make a great Army Officer. It all started with a chance meeting of him trying to save his cousin from bleeding out and it led to this and all three CPD members couldn't be happier at the outcome for Aaron.

* * *

**Next- 11. Key**

**AN- So maybe the muse did come back temporarily. I'll take advantage of it. But for key- who's giving who a key? Do we want fluff or them putting a key in a door and knocking it down badass style?**


	12. Key

**11\. Key**

* * *

"Hey, do you know where Jay went?" An exasperated Hailey asked Platt at the front desk.

Platt didn't even look up from the papers on her desk. "Went to go start his truck. Better run," she said.

So Hailey did. She pushed the backdoor open and ran for the parking lot hoping to catch her partner before he left. He was sitting in the drivers seat when he saw her running toward him and rolled down the window. "I have something to give you," she said a little breathlessly.

He just looked at her. "Okay," he said a little suspiciously.

She held out the offending object and he took it. "My house key."

"Why are you giving me your house key?" Jay asked, alarm bells ringing. They definitely weren't at the stage of giving someone a key to permanently basically live at each others places by far so her just handing him a key was a little weird.

Hailey winced hard. "Rojas is still staying at my place so if you could check up on her, that would be great. If she finds a place and moves out, then please check up on my place once in awhile."

Jay opened his truck door and got out to face his partner. "What aren't you exactly telling me?"

She looked at her watch. "I have about five minutes to explain all this to you and I'll preface this with I'm sorry. I'm going undercover tonight."

"WHAT?!" Jay exclaimed.

Hailey looked at the ground. "Six weeks. For Homeland Security. Their Investigations division."

He looked at her again. "What the fuck, Hailey?"

"An old buddy of Olinsky's called Voight asked if he could borrow Erin Lindsay for a six week op. Voight said to call the FBI and obviously that was a non-starter. Ed explained the op to Voight and Voight said he had someone who fit the role even better than Lindsay. They needed an experienced female undercover who wasn't on anyone's radar in California or on a fed level."

Jay sighed. "Just like that?"

"That was last night. Paperwork got approved this morning because when Homeland called the Superintendent directly, things happen. Voight literally told me to go home and pack some shit up 5 minutes ago."

He shook his head. "And you leave tonight."

"More like in 15 minutes."

He looked her in the eyes. "You okay going undercover out of Chicago again? The last time didn't go so well," he said, referencing to Booth and the disaster that led to.

She nervously laughed. "Well that was the fucking FBI so here's to hoping Homeland is a little better. I talked to the guy running the op and he seems really solid and he went way back with Olinsky. Voight seems to trust him."

"Whatever or however far away you may be, just know I have your back. Even in California."

"That's why I took the offer," Hailey said. "I know you have my back. I know you always have my back."

Jay finally enveloped her in a hug and she sighed as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. They didn't say anything for awhile until Jay spoke. "I'll miss you."

Finally Hailey pulled back. "I have to go."

"Stay safe," Jay said.

She smiled as she walked back to the door. "You too, partner."

He held up the key. "Thanks for the key. I'll check up on your place."

"You better," she replied. "And by the way Halstead, I'll miss you too."

* * *

**Next- L; Lingerie**

**AN: Not sure if Lingerie will be a continuation of Key directly or if something else pops into my head. Not super happy with this one but this is the only thing the muse could come up with *shrugs shoulders and hits post chapter*  
**


	13. Lingerie

**12\. Lingerie**

* * *

The first time lingerie was a problem for Jay and Hailey was the night that Hailey got back from her undercover in California. She had purposely bought a more revealing and sexier bra and underwear set than the sports bras and normal underwear she wore while on assignment for the ATF on the last night she was in Stockton, California. She was fully intending on surprising Jay. And she knew he'd be surprised.

He was waiting for her at the baggage claim at Chicago O'Hare with a huge smile on his face as soon as he saw her. "Hey partner."

She pretty much ran into his embrace once he said those two words. It felt so good to be back in Chicago. California was nice, the weather was even nicer but Chicago was home. "It's so good to be home."

As they were still in their embrace, Jay reached into his pocket and pressed something against her stomach. She looked down, still one arm around him. It was her badge and gun. "Figured you might want this," Jay said.

"A Chicago welcome home. Does this mean we caught a case and I'm on duty?" Hailey asked.

He shook his head. "Nah. Voight just handed me them and told me to give them to you," Jay explained as she let him go.

She headed for baggage to collect her suitcase. She wasn't one for checking bags normally but six weeks in a different state made that a necessity. "How has it been since I've been gone?"

Jay shrugged his shoulders. "Dare I say boring?"

"Wouldn't want Chicago's criminals to find that out," she said as she found her suitcase. Jay immediately took it, ever a chivalrous man, despite Hailey's protests.

"Since it's 8, I was thinking of grabbing your favorite pizza and at the risk of sounding vaguely dirty, taking you home. Rojas mentioned something about going out with her friend from the Academy tonight," Jay explained.

Hailey smiled as she climbed into his truck that he left with the lights on, clearly using his CPD status to his advantage for preferential parking treatment. Not that she blamed him- airport parking was terrible on a good day. "Love how you snuck in the little fact that Vanessa will be out of the house."

Jay shrugged again, nonchalantly. "We talk. I noticed."

"Uh huh," Hailey said, not convinced at all. Whatever and however it came about, she didn't care. She was back in Chicago and spending a night with her partner. It was okay.

They were a six pack of beer and a pizza in when the kissing started and the shirts started coming off. Jay was about to comment about the new bra and then the phone rang. Hailey burst out laughing and Jay kept kissing her. And then her phone started ringing. At that point, they knew they had to answer.

Jay ended up answering Hailey's phone and it was Kim on the other line. "We're not sober," was his opening line.

"I kinda figured," Kim replied. "That's why I'm 5 minutes out to pick the both of you up. I'm just making sure you are both at Upton's but the fact that you answered her phone means you are."

Jay groaned and looked at Hailey who just shrugged and put her shirt back on. "Kim," he warned. "What's going on?"

"Ray Price's former chief of staff was just found murdered."

And when they got to the crime scene, Rojas took one look at Hailey and winced at her, the way a woman would who knew what was supposed to go down that night. But that was their profession- one that got interruptions.

* * *

The second time that lingerie was a problem for Jay and Hailey was a week later. It had been a long week of cases as it was turning into a gang turf war, the Mayor's office was involved and tensions were heating. Every night, Jay and Hailey just collapsed in bed exhausted and sleep succumbed them immediately. Finally one morning she decided enough was enough and she put on that bra and thong she bought in Stockton and wore it.

They were at Molly's going for one drink and one drink only with Kevin and Kim; Stella and Cruz had joined them at the table. Finally Hailey decided that she had enough and gently squeezed Jay's knee under the table. He knew that look in her eye and took that as the queue to leave.

"We're going to get going. I'm going to drive Hailey home," Jay told the group.

They all bought that they were going to separate houses. Only Rojas really knew the truth that Jay and Hailey were spending just a little bit more time than everyone suspected and to her credit, she kept her mouth amazingly shut to everyone else. This time, they headed for Jay's apartment; mainly because he really needed more clothes if they were going to keep up this staying together thing.

When they got up the stairs, going as fast as they could because Jay could practically tear Hailey's clothes off any minute, they had a visitor outside Jay's apartment. Byron Green was sitting in the hallway outside the apartment, beer in hand, waiting for the Detective.

Jay immediately dropped Hailey's hand and reached for his gun, even though he didn't draw it. "How the flying fuck did you find my place?"

"Antonio said I might be able to find you here," Byron said. "He sounded awfully pissed that I had his private number. I didn't know he wasn't in Chicago anymore."

Jay shook his head. "I don't appreciate CI's knowing where I live," Jay said, matter of factly.

Byron shrugged, still sitting on the floor, looking up at the two Detectives. "Yeah, well, you need my help."

"Go on," Hailey said.

"Word around town is that you want to end the turf war that's going down. I can broke the peace deal tonight," Byron said.

Jay looked at his partner. "I'm listening."

"I can call some people and set it up if you want."

Hailey looked at him. "This is a little too easy."

Byron shrugged. "If I broker the peace deal, I call the shots from now on."

Jay looked at Hailey and whispered. "Looks like our little night in just got blown to hell."

"Too bad; you should have seen what was underneath this jacket."

Jay whispered even lower. "Now I'm really hating the fact that he knows where I live."

"You and me both."

* * *

The third time that lingerie was a problem for Jay and Hailey was three days later. Rule of threes. Third time was the charm, Hailey predicted. She even warned Jay that he might be in for a hell of a night to which he just looked at her, when they drove to a talk to an informant that morning. That look that meant she better shut up and he wasn't very impressed with her putting that image in his brain.

That night after dinner, she poured herself a glass of wine and was just taking the first sip when Jay started kissing the back of her neck. "You're going there right now?" she asked.

"As good of time as any," Jay promptly said.

And then her phone rang. She sighed and scrunched her face. She was tempted to ignore it and the look on Jay's face told her to but she looked at the caller ID and her nephew didn't call for no good reason.

"Upton," she answered.

Hayden's voice was pretty dejected on the phone. "I need you to come to Chicago Med right now."

Hailey was immediately putting the glass of wine down and grabbing her car keys. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing huge. I need like 30 stitches but they won't do anything because they need your signature."

Hailey threw on Jay's hoodie, she just had sweatpants on; with that very sexy bra and underwear below that. "Why?"

"Tammy's not my legal guardian; you are," Hayden said.

"Fuck," Hailey swore. Jay was hot on her heels as she locked the door. "I'm coming right now. I'll be there as fast as I can. I'll see you in a couple minutes. I love you. Bye."

Jay was in the drivers seat as Hailey climbed into the passenger seat as they raced to Chicago Med. She wasn't too highly worried but any call from her nephew that he was in the hospital was worrisome enough for her to get her ass to the hospital and rather fast. Both Detectives raced into the Emergency Room where April directed to where Hayden was.

In the room, Hayden sat on the bed as Dr. Choi was suturing him. "Hey," Dr. Choi said as he saw the two Detectives enter. "Sorry for making you come down here, but technically, we need your signature to give him anything stronger than an ibuprofen and for his tetanus shot."

Hailey laughed. "Give me the forms. This is what I signed up for, right? To sign my life away for you?" she joked.

"What happened?" Jay asked.

Tammy, who was Hayden's best friend's mom and who he was mostly living with, answered. "He went to go get a ball and collided with the fence. There was something sticking out of it."

"You didn't tell me you had a game tonight," Hailey somewhat scolded her nephew.

Hayden shrugged. "It was a last minute makeup game."

"One where you ended up needing stitches in your face and your arm," Hailey pointed out.

Hayden looked at Jay. "Have you found my mom yet?" Two days after Hailey got back from her undercover, Sarah, announced she was moving and signing her parental rights away to Hailey. Sarah said she wanted to wait until Hayden was 18 but he was better off without her and Hailey should raise him. It was a blow to everyone. Hailey reluctantly signed the paperwork to be Hayden's legal guardian but Tim and Tammy, Chris' parents, stepped up and said that Hayden should live with them as they could give him a little more stable home environment and they would continue to drive him to baseball. Hailey couldn't agree more; Hayden still slept in the spare bedroom sometimes. (she was never so thankful for getting that 3 bedroom place she had no idea what to do with at the time) Sarah disappeared without a trace the next day.

"No buddy," Jay said, as him and Hailey shared that knowing look.

Hailey focused on Hayden. "Does it hurt?"

He shrugged. "Not really.

Tammy laughed. "He said it hurt like a bitch when it first happened."

Hailey smiled. "Busted."

"Hailey and I have a rule. Whenever one of us has to get stitches or ends up in the hospital, we always go to Tina's and gorge ourselves on pancakes and waffles, no matter the time of day," Jay said. "So once Dr. Choi is done here and has given you that God awful Tetanus shot, why don't Tammy, you and us go to Tina's?"

Hayden smiled for the first time since they walked into the room. "I think that sounds okay."

As they walked out of the room, Jay whispered in Hailey's ear, "are you still wearing what I think you're wearing underneath my sweatpants and hoodie," the emphasis was on my when he was talking about his sweats and hoodie that she was wearing in public and had zero shame about it.

She looked at him. "Uh huh. But we have to work tomorrow. So much for that plan."

Jay got a mischievous look in his eye, as they headed for the truck. "Uh huh," he replied. "It's coming off Upton. As soon as we get home."

* * *

**Next- M; Migraine**


	14. Migraine

**13\. Migraine**

* * *

"Stop, Deshawn, I don't want to hear about your conspiracy theories!" Hailey was at her wits end with the gangbanger sitting across from her in interrogation.

Deshawn groaned. "Come on, girl. It's Christmas Eve and I'm in here."

"It's Christmas Eve and I'm here with you!" she replied. "You're giving me a migraine with the conspiracy theories. I don't want to be here either." She truly didn't.

He sat back in the chair. "I don't know where the gun is."

Hailey sighed and pulled at her hair in exasperation but it just made her head hurt. She really was getting a migraine from this guy. "Deshawn, all you need to tell me is where you threw the gun. We have you on surveillance with the gun."

"I didn't commit the murder. I told you that."

She was really done at going twenty rounds with this stupidity sitting across from her. "I already told you that I know you didn't do it. You have an alibi. But you had the murder weapon in your possession and we have you on video. All you need to do is tell me where it is."

"It's Christmas Eve. I didn't do it," he repeated again.

She walked back into the bullpen where it was just Adam and her. Even Jay had gone home to deal with something. Natalie was having a Christmas Eve party and a lot of firefighters and police were invited. Jay had gone to help Will help Natalie. "I can't take it anymore. Please play bad cop."

"He not sayin' anything?" Adam asked.

She sat back in her chair. "Nothing. Just keeps complaining that it's Christmas Eve and we are keeping him."

Adam rolled his eyes and put his gun in the gun safe. "Convenient. I'll be back in five with a confession of where the gun is."

"If you do, bring some motrin back from my migraine that he gave me."

Five minutes later, very promptly, Adam closed the interrogation door. "I see why he gave you a headache. I say we hold him over Christmas."

"County?"

He shrugged. "Up to you. I think we got room down in our lock up."

Hailey sighed. "I hate this guy but I don't hate him enough to put him in county over Christmas. We can hold him for another 44 hours until we have to charge him so put him in our lock up."

"Roger that. Hey, didn't Halstead drive you this morning? How are you getting home?"

Hailey turned to her computer as Adam turned to go deal with Deshawn. "Stella said she'd pick me up on the way to Natalie's party."

"Hailey, you look like shit. Let me deal with this joker and then I'll drive you home and you can get some rest before the party. Plus, nobody should be at the district after 16:00 on Christmas Eve."

* * *

Jay pounded on Hailey's door a little after 18:00. Adam had texted him that he had dropped off Hailey and that she looked like shit. So far, texts and calls to her had gone unanswered. Finally he used his key that she had given him.

She was passed out on the couch and finally heard him when he came down the landing stairs. "Oh hey. What the fuck are you doing here?"

He held out his phone. "Five unanswered calls kinda gets me to come over and check on you."

Hailey looked at her phone. "Shit, sorry. I must have been out."

He sat beside her on the couch. "You feelin' okay?"

She put her head on his shoulder. "I will be in a couple minutes."

"We don't have to go."

She gave him a look. "Of course we have to go."

"We don't have to stay long."

She rubbed her head that was still throbbing. "The minute somebody starts singing karaoke, we are leaving."

"Deal." Jay went into her kitchen to grab her more painkillers while she went to go get ready.

She finished getting ready and walked back into the kitchen as Jay was scrolling on his phone and took the Tylenol on the counter. "Let's do this."

"Again, we don't have to stay long. We can come back here the minute you need to go."

She gave him a quizzical look. "Tomorrow's Christmas Jay. I thought you were spending Christmas with your brother."

"I know. But nobody has said anything about spending the night with you, especially Christmas."

She just smiled at him. "Fine by me, Halstead."

* * *

**Next- N; Nutrition**

**AN: Can't say the muse is really back but I thought I would write something and see if anything came  
**


	15. Nutrition

**14\. Nutrition**

* * *

"Dude, you gotta eat better," Hailey said, looking at the nutrition facts in the restaurant menu she was reading. She was looking directly across the table from one of her CI's, Carlos.

"You ain't my mama," Carlos replied as he stuffed his face full of some concoction that had pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausage on the plate.

Hailey shrugged. She hated Carlos but for a low level drug dealer, he provided her with some awesome information. Except he was the worst person on planet earth she was convinced. Absolute worse to deal with. She had pinched him last year on a serious drug charge in a murder investigation and realized she could give her some information so told him to work it off. "Nope. But come on, even my partner eats better than this. This has to be a bazillion calories."

Carlos shrugged. "Timo is getting some serious weight in next week. I think Tuesday."

Hailey stood up and slipped Carlos some cash as she walked by him to the exit and walked out of the rundown diner that Carlos frequented way too much. She would be much more comfortable meeting him in a back alley but he insisted on here and considering how much information he gave her and how much it panned out, she agreed on it. So far, it was an okay spot.

She walked upstairs and Voight looked pissed. "Nice of you to make it, Upton." Make that homicidally pissed.

She took off her jacket. "Yeah, traffic." She didn't want to divulge Carlos' tip right now.

"Robert Lynch was found murdered this morning. Bullet to the side of his head," Voight said as he put up his picture on the whiteboard.

She could see out of the corner of her eye that Adam and Jay shared a look. She then shared a look with Jay but continued listening. She didn't like that look at her partner and Adam shared and she knew there was evidently more to the story. And the more that Voight continued and Rojas explained how there was no ballistics yet, Hailey knew this was personal.

Voight disappeared into his office and Adam, her and Jay met in the locker room. "What was that look about?" Hailey demanded to know.

"From what we remember, Robert Lynch is one of the old guard guys at the social club that we think Voight still goes to," Halstead explained.

Adam leaned against a locker. "Voight hasn't really brought any of his more shadier mob connections in on a case in a long time."

"I'm guessing this is before my time," Hailey said.

"Oh yeah," Jay said, nodding. "Not a good road."

Hailey wanted to know more but the look on Jay and Adam's face both said that was a conversation that was best suited outside the doors of the 21st. "So what do we do?'

"Try and reign Voight in. Antonio usually did it the best," Adam said, sagely.

"The way both of you are looking at me makes me think you want me to reign Voight in when I don't even know what half of the stuff is behind door number 2."

"Come on Hailey, you've heard the rumors when you were in Robbery/Homicide," Jay said.

"Anyone forgetting I was undercover for a large amount of time?"

Adam nodded. "Long story short, Voight ended up in jail, he got out, IA gave him his job back in turn for busting high profile criminals."

She looked at her partner and then Adam. "Alright, starting to see a little bigger picture now."

"You've never asked around about Voight?" Jay asked, incredulously.

She shrugged. "Sure. But I also heard the rumors and I've been a cop ,long enough to know that you don't believe rumors."

* * *

They were absolutely no closer to finding who killed Lynch and Hailey wasn't really opposed to not finding out who did it and also tempted to ask Voight to pass it off to Homicide, as it really wasn't an Intelligence case. Finally she stood up at looked at Jay. "Let's go get some lunch."

"Now?"

"We do have to eat, don't we?"

Getting the fact that she needed to talk about something, Jay grabbed his coat. He looked at Rojas. "Cover for us?" She just nodded. Hailey was half way down the steps.

They ended up at some food trucks not far from the district. "We never get lunch," Jay observed.

"Hayden's on a nutrition kick right now. Even meal prepping. Made a disaster of my kitchen last night and didn't even have the courtesy to make me lunch either. Got me thinking maybe we should eat a little better."

"That would involve going to a grocery store," Jay retorted.

"Which I already go to," she shot back. "You would have to go or I would have to go for you."

"That latter option sounds better. Why we really out here?"

She winced as they sat down on some benches. "You took over most of Antonio's CI's, right?"

"Yeah, Atwater and I."

"I think we might need to talk to Jenny."

"We?"

"Carlos told me that Timo's getting some serious weight in on Tuesday next week. Carlos has never been wrong but.."

Jay sat there and thought about it. "You want Jenny to confirm it?"

"Either that or I call Rixton with this hella tip for Narcotics to pounce on."

He looked at her. "You'd really give this tip up?"

"Rixton wouldn't rat out Carlos."

"He wouldn't. I think we talk to Jenny. I'll call her."

"Awe, why thanks, partner."

He took the last bite of his taco. "So if Hayden's actually on a nutrition kick, is he making us dinner tonight if we get out of here at a somewhat decent time, which is also highly unlikely given Voight's mood today."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Figured it was worth a shot."

"Text him and ask him. I think he's at Tammy's tonight."

"Well if you're not going to make me food, I'll find someone who is willing."

She stood up. "Fighting words there, Halstead."

He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair. "I know. But you had a point earlier, we do gotta eat better. Microwave dinners are also getting really old and disgusting."

"Sunday meal preps at my place then? To avoid having my nephew destroy my kitchen again."

"Deal."

"And you gotta text Antonio and ask him what he knows about Lynch. Or I will," Hailey said. "You have his number."

Jay raised an eyebrow but kept his arm around Hailey. "You think Voight is really in this deep with Lynch?"

"I do. I have a gut feeling someone made Voight put Lynch's name on that whiteboard because this ain't an Intelligence case."

Jay sighed. "I'll text Antonio."

She repeated the same words Jay had just told her. "Deal."

* * *

**Next- O; Obituary **

**Amazon put season 1-4 on so I've been binge watching and well... you get this. **


	16. Obituary

**15\. Obituary**

* * *

Hailey sighed deeply as she read the obituary that an old high school friend had sent over. Caroline and her weren't exactly what you would call besties but she did consider her a friend still. And she appreciated Caroline for reaching out about this. Mrs. Hargrave was one of those teachers that every kid should have growing up and she truly cared about each teenager that came through her classroom.

"What's up?" Platt asked, coming up the stairs. "You don't sigh like that often."

Hailey smiled a little. "I guess not, Sarge. Ah, one of my favorite high school teachers was killed in a drive by in a drug deal gone bad. Wrong place, wrong time. Friend sent the obituary over."

Rojas looked shocked. "Wow, that sucks."

"Sometimes this city really sucks," Platt said, grimly, as she handed Kevin some files.

Kevin turned to Hailey after taking the files from Platt. "Where was she shot?"'

"Southside. Who is taking over now that Darius is gone?"

Atwater looked at her. "Word on the street is that Kahlia Davis is making a play."

"Kahlia Davis as in Reggie's sister and Aaron's cousin? That Kahlia Davis?"

"That Kahlia Davis," Kevin replied.

Rojas looked up at the two. "Unorthodox for a woman."

"I take it you haven't had the lovely chance to meet Kahlia yet?" Kevin asked.

Rojas shook her head. "You two have?"

"We stashed her cousin at University of Michigan as well. Aaron Davis is Michigan's best Army ROTC Cadet," Kevin said, proudly.

"Kahlia is a piece of work," Hailey said. She grabbed her coat. "See you at home, Vanessa."

"Uh, I'm actually going to Ben's tonight."

Hailey raised her eyebrow. "How come we all haven't met Ben yet? Why don't you bring him by for dinner?"

"So he can get interrogated by two other cops over dinner?" Rojas shot back defensively, surprisingly Atwater and Hailey both.

Atwater raised an eyebrow at that mention of two cops but wisely didn't say anything and went back to finishing his expense report of the month so Platt wouldn't have his ass. He learned his lesson from Jay and Adam that one time. They all had. One does not cross Trudy Platt on late paperwork.

Hailey shrugged. "Just would be nice to meet the guy you're dating."

Rojas smiled back finally. "I'll see if he can come over for dinner tonight or tomorrow."

* * *

Hailey's phone rang at 2 in the morning. There was only two things that usually came out of phone calls at that time in the morning in her life of work- booty calls and dead bodies. Given her permanent booty call was fast asleep beside her, it was undoubtedly a dead body. And she really didn't want to deal with a dead body right now. At all.

She sleepily studied the number calling her and was confused. It wasn't Voight on the call display. But she decided to answer it. "Upton."

"It's Detective Fox from Gangs. You called Sergeant Cahill about Kahlia Davis earlier today?" Fox said.

She groaned. "It's fucking 2 am. What the fuck is this about?"

"Just found Kahlia's body by the docks," Fox sighed.

She sat up in bed. "I'm on my way. Text me the address."

"You got it."

Jay was waking up. "Was that Voight?"

"Nope. Gangs."

He leaned up on one arm and looked at his phone. "What is Gangs doing calling you at 2 in the morning?"

"Kahlia Davis was found dead by the docks."

Jay got out of bed. "Well that's just great."

"You don't need to come," Hailey said, putting on some jeans.

He mockingly glared at her. "And let you and Gangs have all the fun in the middle of the night? No way."

Hailey and Jay met the two guys from Gangs at where Kahlia's body was found, near the docks. Jay remembered the place well; he remembered trying to talk Voight down about something very close to here. Detective Everson from Homicide was also there.

"Nice little party we got going on," Everson said. "Why you guys here?"

"Shits and giggles," Jay replied.

Fox leaned over Kahlia's body. "Why did you call Sarge this evening, I guess yesterday, and tell him you have an interest in her?"

Hailey shrugged. "Heard through the grapevine that she was starting to make a move in the crew. That and we may or may not have stashed her cousin at U of Michigan on an Army ROTC scholarship so I have an interest." Hailey left out the part that her high school teacher was killed in a drive by in that neighborhood and Kahlia probably was involved.

"Reggie and Kahlia Davis have a cousin that's legit?" the other Gangs Detective asked.

Jay half heartedly shrugged. "Shocked the hell out of us too. Came across Aaron when someone lit into Reggie in a drive by."

"You guys popped Kahlia's ex-boyfriend for that didn't you?" Fox asked.

"Some wannabe joker named Lamar. I forget his last name," Hailey replied.

"Is he good for this too?" Everson asked.

Fox shrugged. "I'd have to hazard a guess that someone didn't want a woman running the shots."

"Not that I love getting out of bed for dead gang bangers that are cousins to my very straight laced friend and seeing ya'll, but can we take the case?" Hailey asked. "Vested interest and all?"

Everson shrugged. "I got 4 open homicides that popped up on my desk in the past week so feel fucking free, Upton."

Fox shrugged as well, as the ranking Detective for Gangs. "I got no problem with it as long as you tell us who you're going after. Let Cahill or I know if you need any help."

"Done," Jay replied. "We can do that."

Everson shook hands with Fox. "Alright, glad I got out of bed for this. Great seeing you all again, hope I don't have to see you fuckers again for another while. And Upton, nice hoodie."

Hailey laughed, although she knew she was just caught red handed wearing Jay's oversized Chicago Blackhawks hoodie to a crime scene. She also knew Everson from her time in Homicide and knew he'd never rat on her for her choice of attire, however. "You're a dick Alex."

"Always a pleasure, Upton. See ya Halstead."

Jay and Hailey stood looking at the body, after Gangs and Everson from Homicide left. "Do we tell Aaron?"

She shook her head. "No way. But I also think we need to pay Big Bertha a visit."

"Crazy that she lets everyone call her that."

"She is a sweet lady though," Hailey smiled. Big Bertha was the nickname of Aaron's mom, and Reggie and Kahlia's aunt. She was a bus driver and knew a lot of people and heard a lot as well.

Jay laughed. "Let's get out of here and back to bed," he winked at her to let her know that he was thinking a little more than just sleep.

She looked at him. "Because I can totally go back to sleep after staring at a dead body for the past 15 minutes."

"I never said a thing about sleeping, Upton."

They started walking back to the car. "This is true. I'm not calling in the rest of the team at 3 am, that's just cruel. Bad enough we're awake."

"So we go back to the house," Jay suggested again.

Hailey thought about it for a minute although pancakes and bacon at Tina's was really calling her name. "Let's go back to bed."

"And then Tina's before work."

"Like we were reading each other's minds."

* * *

**Next- P; Pointsettia **

**AN: holy hell; the muse might be back thanks to binge watching Chicago PD. With that being said, I'm gonna need some help for the prompt Poinsettia (why'd I pick that word?) so drop any and all ideas in a review pleeeassseeee! **


	17. Poinsettia

**16\. Poinsettia**

* * *

Jay came up the stairs one morning to see one Trudy Platt sitting in Voight's chair. He looked at Atwater, who looked a little petrified. Hailey was engrossed in her computer. Adam was nowhere to be found and he knew Rojas was downstairs talking to a patrolman about something. Now he was a little scared about what was going on and why Platt was in Voight's office.

"Sarge," he said, cautiously as he approached the shrine of Voight's office.

Platt had made herself at home in the office with her cup of coffee and feet on the table, reading a report. "Nice to see you, Halstead. A little late?"

"I had to meet one of my CI's," he explained. "Where's Voight?"

"Sick."

Jay narrowed his eyes. "Voight doesn't get sick."

"He's sick."

"Voight doesn't get sick," he repeated.

Platt took her feet of Voight's desk. "Are you really questioning my intelligence and your brother's medical degree?"

"Never."

"Good. Voight has pneumonia. Randy and I were over for dinner last night and he just looked awful. We finally got him to agree to take him to Med and sure enough, he's sicker than a dog."

Jay paused. "You and Mouch were having dinner at Voight's?"

"Anything wrong with that?"

"Uh, no. Just didn't know the three of you had dinner on a regular basis."

Platt continued reading the report, as she was the whole time in the conversation. "Anyways, Voight didn't want to stay home as Rojas has that bust going down today but I said I'd handle it."

"We can't figure out how to handle a drug bust by ourselves?" Jay questioned Platt.

Platt put down the coffee, the report and looked at the Detective. "Apparently not," she fakely smiled. "Now go round up everyone so we can discuss this."

Right before Rojas was about to go make the drug deal and they were going to arrest the supplied, Platt held a little powwow. She had her bulletproof vest on and even her revolver in her holster. "Feels good to be back out here," she winked at Adam. He just shook his head. Sometimes Trudy Platt was more scarier than Hank Voight. In her own way.

"Let's do this," Hailey said.

"Bug out word if something goes wrong is Poinsettia," Platt said.

Rojas looked at the Desk Sergeant, who she hadn't had much interaction with. The rest of Intelligence wished they hadn't had the lovely dealings they had with Platt. "What kind of word is that?!"

"Well the whole point if having a code word is not to use it," Platt fired back. Jay and Hailey had to smile. "Plus, if you do have to use it, it will help your bullshitting skills on finding a phrase to use the word poinsettia in."

Rojas shook her head. "Great. Now I'm really hoping this goes down smoothly."

"Come on kid, it will."

* * *

Jay knocked on Voight's door later that night. "Open up, it's me!"

Voight opened the door, cautiously, wondering why his Detective was banging on his door. Platt was right, he looked like shit. "This is a surprise," he said as he opened the door a little wider.

Jay stepped inside and held out a bag. "Figured you probably wouldn't eat so I brought dinner."

His Sergeant looked at him. "Huh. Well, what did you bring?"

"Greek food."

Voight raised an eyebrow. "From that place that's only open because Upton really likes it so she put the owner on the books as a CI after the owner's son got caught with a brick of heroin and some serious health code violations?"

Jay opened the bag and handed Voight the food. "Yeah. Kosta called Hailey about something so we went down there tonight to see what he had. He gave us dinner on the house so we figured you could use dinner as well."

"It is appreciated," Voight said. "How'd Platt do today?"

"It's Platt," Jay said.

"And Rojas?"

"Well, Platt gave her an insanely hard code word to use in her drug buy."

Voight looked at Jay. "Figures. What was it?"

"Poinsettia. Props to Vanessa to figuring out how to use in a sentence though."

"How'd she use it?"

"'this is making my eyes lit up like my mom's lights and poinsettia's at Christmas' about the drugs that Ricky showed her."

Voight cracked a smile. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Jay headed back for the door. "Anyways, enjoy the food and I hope you start feeling better."

"Yeah. Thanks for the food and tell Upton thanks when you get home."

"Sarge?" Jay asked.

Voight shook his head. "You don't think I know you are practically living over there, Jay? Nothing gets by me."

"Good night," Jay said, before leaving.

He opened Hailey's front door and stood in the hallway for half a second. She saw the pause and looked at him. "What's up?"

"Voight knows about us."

She shrugged. "Reasonable assumption."

"He just came out and said it though," Jay said as he walked fully into her place.

She handed him a beer. "Well did he say anything else?"

He shrugged. "No, not really."

Hailey smiled. "Better than kicking us out of Intelligence for having an in house romance."

"Better than a lecture, I guess."

"Or that," she said, drinking her own beer and sitting on the couch. "Come sit, we shall binge watch whatever you want to watch, drink beer and pretend we don't work at a job where our boss gives a shit about our personal lives."

Jay sat on the couch beside her and put his arm over her shoulders. "I can drink to that. Netflix and chill?"

She looked up at him and gave him a dirty glare. "You so wish."

He leaned down and kissed her hair. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just glad I have you in all this madness."

She laughed, not really paying attention to him and focusing on the TV and finding something to watch on Netflix. "I suppose I feel the same way."

* * *

**Next- Q; Quickie. **

**AN: Woof; this was a hard one to write. Figured I'd put something down on paper while something formed into my head. Let me know how you like it. The next one "quickie" should be a good one ;) **


	18. Quickie

**17\. Quickie**

* * *

Jay, Hailey and Atwater were doing surveillance around 4 pm in the back of one of their vans on a drug house they were watching. It was a little ridiculous really because it was more of a Narcotics case but somehow Voight got the case and therefore the three of them were sitting on the house, bored out of their minds. Surveillance really was mind numbing at best.

"For the first time I'm glad we have that police fundraiser to go to tonight," Atwater muttered.

Hailey smiled. "The ones we have to put our monkey suits on for?"

"Hey, that line came from me," Jay replied. "But yeah, those ones."

"Yeah, but that means we have to get out of here at a decent time."

Jay shrugged, still watching the house. "Okay, I'll agree. I just hate pretending that policing is fun at those events."

"Guys, they usually they have an open bar at these things," Hailey commented. "Worth our trouble to play nice with the Ivory Tower."

Jay continued looking at the house. "Okay, look over here. There is two people literally having sex basically in the open."

Kevin or Hailey didn't even look, it was unsurprising for this neighborhood. "You're surprised, bro?"

"It's in public view!" Jay said.

Kevin looked at him. "And you've never had sex in a public place?"

Jay looked at his partner who just had this shit eating grin on her face and then back at Kevin. "Well, yeah, but never this public."

"Whatever you say, Halstead," Kevin said. "Ever have sex at the district or a police station?"

"Fuck no!"

Kevin looked surprised. "Not even with Lindsay?" he looked apologetically at Hailey who just shrugged. She was interested in the answer as well.

Jay shook his head, emphatically. "Nope. No way. You?"

"Hell nah."

Kevin and Jay both turned to Hailey who was a little too quiet. "Anything you want to share with the class, Upton?" Jay asked. "Have you had sex or a quickie at the district?"

She scratched her head and then confessed. "When I was on the beat."

Both Kevin and Jay's jaws dropped. "Oh my god," Kevin commented. "You rebel."

Jay who had been literally watching the street the whole time turned to Hailey, "I learn something new about you everyday."

After a few more minutes of silence and boredom, Kevin asked a loaded question. "Best and worst CI's you've ever had?"

"What's prompting that question?" Hailey asked.

Kevin shrugged. "It was one of Burgess' CI's who gave us this house. While she's on mat leave! Burgess isn't really a cop who deals with CI's much."

Jay and Hailey pondered that as the statement was true. Burgess was a great cop but it took a different type of cop to cultivate and grow confidential informants and keep them. Antonio was one of the best at them and Jay had learned from him. "Can't really think of the best although I'll say Mouse because he turned out pretty good. Worse was definitely hands down a guy I busted for heroin. A week later, he overdosed."

Atwater smiled. "Can't really think of my worst but ya'll know who my best is- Porky down at the chop shop."

"Porky is one of a kind," Hailey agreed. "I also can't really think of my best, although Cameron was a memorable one. My worst, she stands out and she has a pretty good story."

"Oh do tell," Kevin said. "We got time."

"I'm a week back from a year long undercover and I'm in Vice. It's late and I'm going to 31st to get some files. Driving in a sketchy area and I'm following this vehicle who is driving bat shit crazy. I radio to dispatch for a patrol car and none available. Finally this is getting dangerous so I flip on my lights and pull her over. She reeks of booze and there's a couple dime bags of cocaine in plain view. Girl is maybe 20. She gives me her license and registration and I'm trying to think of what to do- pinch her on the DUI or the cocaine. I don't have a breathalyzer or anything. Finally patrol shows up while I'm deciding what to do. And then her name finally rings a bell. Amanda Farish. She never once name dropped her dad, but her dad is Craig Farish."

Jay's eyes opened wide. "The hot shot defence attorney? Craig Farish? The same one that Katherine Brennan hired?"

Hailey nodded. "The same one. So I know arresting her on a DUI is pointless because he'll get it tossed. So I get one of the patrolman to drive her car home and I drive her home in my car and I make her a deal. She signs up to be my CI and I drop all the charges. She agrees. She gives me her supplied the next week. A week later, she comes to me and says she's going to rehab and I never heard from her again. And I was okay with that. I know she's married now and has two twin boys."

Kevin just chuckled. "That's a good one."

"I gotta agree. Probably tied for worst CI."

Hailey shrugged. "I'm okay with it if she cleaned up her life like that."

* * *

Later that night, Jay and Hailey were bored out of their minds. As was everyone else at that little shindig. He leaned over. "So, if you've had quickies in police districts before, what's your policy on them at these types of events?"

She looked at him. "What's your policy?"

He whispered in her ear. "That I think we should find a closet."

"Lead the way, Detective."

* * *

It was midnight and Jay reached for his gun as soon as he heard banging on Hailey's door. She was awake too. "Who the hell is banging on your door?" Jay asked. They had crashed after the police function on the account of the adrenaline of the sneaking around and the alcohol. No one was the wiser about their actions but Vanessa's looks between the two of them suggested she suspected what had happened when they left the room to 'take a call.'

She reached for her bra, underwear and Jay's t-shirt that she hoped would cover her ass a little bit. But she obviously probably knew who was banging on her door, or else they would be breaking it down.

She grabbed his gun as it was still in his hand and took the safety off as she looked through the peephole. The person on the other side was not who she was expecting. Ever. But she opened the door.

"I was talking about you today. On how you were my worst CI ever but I was okay with it because you cleaned up your act," Hailey said as Amanda Farish entered her house. "How'd you find me?"

Amanda kicked off her shoes. "Used to be a paralegal for my dad. Still know some things."

"Sit here while I put some more clothes on," Hailey said, gesturing to the island that had chairs around it.

She returned to the bedroom where Jay was sitting up on his phone. She gave him his gun back and put sweatpants on. "Who is down there, Hailey?" he asked, very firmly.

Hailey just looked at him and almost closed the bedroom door before giving him an answer. "The worst CI ever."

She went back downstairs and put the kettle on for her midnight visitor. "So, why you really here, Amanda?"

Amanda looked scared out of her mind. She trembled as she spoke. "I didn't know who to trust. And I know I can trust you."

Hailey looked her in the eyes and saw the same scared girl as 4 years ago. "You can trust me."

"I'm really scared."

"You can trust me. I promise."

After about an hour, Jay quietly opened the bedroom door and peaked downstairs. He could see Amanda and Hailey quietly talking on the island and it looked like Amanda had been crying. Whatever it was, it had taken a lot for Amanda to come to Hailey. He just shook his head and went into Hayden's room to grab the extra blankets and pillow's, sure that Amanda would be spending the rest of the night on the couch. Good thing that Vanessa was at Ben's tonight and Hayden was with Tim and Tammy, like usual. When he came out, Hailey's hand was on Amanda's back, encouraging her to keep talking. He smiled and thought about this day's events and learning more about Hailey- her mysteriousness, her adventurous side and her compassion.

* * *

**Next- R; Reunion **


	19. Reunion

**18\. Reunion**

* * *

Jay and Hailey were with Vanessa, Adam and Severide. Stella was bartending tonight so Kelly had come to the table with the cops as they drowned out their sorrows for the week. Voight had Kevin undercover doing something and Burgess was at home, and given she couldn't drink, she didn't really want to be at the bar. Nobody blamed her.

Jay's phone rang and everyone turned to him, expecting a case. But they also expected Hailey's phone to ring and it didn't. He frowned at the caller ID but decided to answer it. "Halstead."

"This is Captain Jonathan Strauss, Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Rangers. I understand you are listed as next of kin to Greg Gerwitz."

Jay knew what this call was about. He stepped away from the table, but not before giving Hailey a look. Adam just nodded that he would take care of things here, which Jay appreciated. "I am." He also knew that if Mouse was dead, a uniformed Army casualty assistance officer would be making the appearance in person to tell him that dreadful news. So this phone call had to be that Mouse was injured.

Thankfully Captain Strauss paused long enough for Jay to exit the bar. "Staff Sergeant Gerwitz sustained some serious injuries while in theatre. I thought you should know, as I'm his commanding officer."

"I appreciate it. Where is he? Ft. Benning?"

Again. the Captain paused. "No. He was just flown to Walter Reed. He's in surgery as we speak."

"I'm on the next flight out. Can I reach out at this number?" Jay asked.

"You can. I'll provide any details I can," Captain Strauss said before hanging up. "I'll talk to you later."

Hailey had followed him out of the bar. "What's going on?"

Jay was bent over at the knees, trying to comprehend that phone call. He hadn't talked to Mouse much since he had re-enlisted, he knew he had done a tour in Syria and then before he knew it he was on another deployment to the Middle East, or so Jay suspected because he had tried Mouse three months ago and got a voicemail and the voicemail was full. "Mouse."

Hailey knew a little of Mouse. "What's wrong with Mouse?"

"He's at Walter Reed. I need to go."

"We are going," Hailey said, putting her arm on his back.

Jay shook his head. "No, I need to do this myself."

"Jay, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Jay shrugged. "Somebody's gotta keep Voight in line while I'm gone."

"Nice joke," Hailey fired back. "I think I should come with you to Bethesda."

Jay shook his head again. "I appreciate it, Hailey. But no, I need to go alone and be there for Mouse."

Hailey grabbed her keys as she was the one who had been drinking less and Jay was in no position to drive. "Alright, let's go home and book you some plane tickets then to the east coast and get you to O'Hare."

Before they could get into Jay's truck, he turned to her and kissed her hard. "Thank you for understanding."

* * *

The next morning, it was just Ruzek and Rojas at their desk and a surprising face sitting at Kevin's desk. Hailey just looked at him as she had seen the face before but had no idea who he was.

Voight came out of his office. "Detective Hailey Upton, meet Detective Kenny Rixton, Narcotics. Seems we are a little shorthanded around here so it would be a good day for a reunion." Voight caught Hailey's eye on that last word. Jay had texted Voight last night that he was going to Walter Reed and it wasn't up for discussion but understandably, Voight just told him to take the time him and Mouse needed.

Adam looked confused. "Where's Halstead?"

Hailey shrugged. "Not at work," she replied.

"Is he undercover? Gone? Not coming back?" Adam asked.

Voight shook his head. "He'll be back but it's none of your damn business."

Adam was more confused than ever and looked directly at Hailey. "But you do know where he is?"

"I'd advise you to drop it," Platt said, coming up the stairs.

Voight leaned against the doorway. "Figured we'd look a little more into the Farish thing today, that Amanda brought us a couple weeks ago. Upton and Rixton, look into his firm and more his financials. Platt and Ruzek, go have a visit with Steve Kot and take the temperature of the ASA's office these days. Rojas, you're with me. We have an errand to run."

An hour later, Hailey and Rixton were pouring over documents on the conference room table. "This probably isn't what you signed up for today, eh?" Hailey said, laying out more files and paperwork. Not her most favorite thing either.

"Makes my wife happy that I'm not getting shot at while in Voight's unit," Rixton shot back.

Hailey leaned back in her chair. "You're married?"

Rixton laughed. "Why does everyone find that so funny?"

Hailey just shrugged. "I don't know. White collar stuff drives me up the wall. I should have pawned this case off on someone else but my CI came to me with it, saying her dad was in deep and not in a good way."

Rixton flipped over a document. "I have a degree in Finance from the University of Florida. Sometimes this is a good change of pace than chasing dope dealers and gang bangers through streets."

"So if you have a degree in Finance, why are you not doing forensic accounting or audits in the Ivory Tower?"

He just laughed. "Do I look like the type of guy who wants to sit behind a desk? Fuck no. Enough questions with me. What's up with you and Halstead?"

Hailey panicked. She had worked with this guy for all of an hour and he was asking questions?! "We're partners."

"Uh huh. Voight may have not told you but I spent four months in this unit while Ruzek was playing cowboys and whatever for someone. Something's going on between you and Halstead."

"What makes you think that?"

Rixton raised an eyebrow at Hailey, continuing to flip documents. "Well, something tells me you usually show up together because Ruzek kept looking around the corner for him after you walked in. And then he kept looking at you for why Halstead isn't here. And given the fact that Voight said Atwater was undercover but nothing about Halstead, says you know exactly where he is. And while you are being very courteous to me, it's apparent you don't swap partners often."

Hailey chuckled. "It's a great thing they already promoted you to Detective, Rixton."

"Non denial denial. Interesting play, Upton."

"My turn. Your wife CPD?"

He looked at her, almost offended. "Fuck no. She's a dental hygienist."

"You surprise me more and more Kenny Rixton."

"I aim to please," he said. He slammed the table and pointed to the file. "I think I also found your smoking gun on Craig Farish."

* * *

Jay was half asleep on a very uncomfortable chair when Mouse started stirring. Jay had been told the details of his injuries- lacerated spleen, collapsed lung, torn rotator cuff and something else he couldn't remember. Nobody would tell him how or where Mouse sustained these injuries, which did and did not surprise Jay. He had to hazard a guess, Mouse's unit was operating in Iraq but he couldn't be certain.

"Takes me getting blown up for you to visit, huh?" Mouse said, gingerly.

Jay stood up and smiled. "Yeah, I guess so. You did a number on yourself."

"I feel worse than the time that IED hit us off the road in Korangal Valley."

Jay shook his head, still wondering how Mouse could actually bring those memories up. He had shoved them in a suitcase and shut that bitch shut. "Then you have to be feeling pretty fucking awful, man."

"I'm glad you came," Mouse said. "Strauss call you?"

Jay nodded. "Surprised the hell outta me. Didn't know you were spun up again."

Mouse tried to shake his head. "One of those stupid secret deployments I couldn't talk about. You know how it is."

"I do. I don't blame you. I'm just glad you're alive," Jay said, sincerely.

Mouse smiled. "Tell me one thing. Where's your partner?"

Jay laughed. "Of course that's what you would ask."

"Last time we talked you weren't sure about being partnered with her. Said she challenged you."

Jay smiled again. It had been a long time since he had talked to Mouse. A long time. But no matter the time, it was like they hadn't missed a beat. That last phone call was around Camila Vega and he was hurting pretty bad. Mouse wasn't exactly in the best head space either but he had gotten a pretty good lecture from his friend as well. "We're good. She's… she's good."

Mouse broke into a shit eating grin, or one that he could given his state. "Are you sleeping with her?"

"Do I have to answer that?"

"I'm in a hospital bed, after getting blown up, I need all the stories I can get right now. You owe me."

Jay shook his head. "Whatever, Mouse. But I will say this. I think you'd really like Hailey."

"I think so too. You seem happy. Happiest I've seen you in a long time."

Jay nodded. "That's because I am. Getting phone calls like this doesn't help my heart rate but I'm happy. She makes me happy."

* * *

**Next- S; Storm**

**AN: I had this idea for a reunion between Mouse and Jay ever since I posted the first chapter so enjoy! And I will never stop writing Rixton into my stories somehow...**


	20. Storm

**19\. Storm**

* * *

Hailey was making a quick dinner when Jay came through the front door. "Dinner is ready if you want any."

Jay looked at his phone. "It's 5. You've never made dinner this early," he commented.

She shrugged as she dished her own plate of chicken stir fry that was mainly leftovers thrown together to make something eatable. "You're on your own tonight. Thankfully you have dinner that I made so you won't starve."

"I can cook," he said defensively. "Where are you going?"

"Patrol for 34th division."

Jay just looked at her. "It's a fucking snow storm and when was the last time you did a patrol shift?!"

Hailey took a bite then paused on the answer. "Don't remember. Platt offered me overtime and given what I've already worked this week, it's pretty sweet overtime for a six hour shift on patrol."

Jay had to give her that. "Except it's the 34th."

"Platt said she called over to the Sergeant over there and gave me a good partner for tonight. Some beat cop named Julie Tay?"

He laughed. "She's good police. She was partnered with Burgess for a month."

"Huh." Hailey pondered that. Coming from Jay, Tay had to be good police and a recommendation from Platt went a long way in Hailey's books. She thought about shooting Burgess a text to ask about Tay. "I gotta run."

"Have fun and stay safe," Jay said. "It's going to be a disaster with all that snow."

* * *

Hailey sat in a patrol car with Julie Tay. They hadn't said much to each other when Hailey walked into the 34th in patrol uniform but Hailey liked Tay's attitude when Tay just smiled, seeing Hailey's vest that read "Intelligence."

**To: Kim Burgess  
****Sitting in a patrol car with your former partner. What can you tell me about her?**

**From: Kim Burgess  
****Tay? She's good police. Tell her I say hi. **

"Burgess says hi," Hailey said.

Tay smiled. "You checking in on me?"

Hailey shrugged. "Only because I don't sit my ass in patrol cars in districts I don't know with cops I've never met."

Tay laughed a little. "It's okay. I would be doing the same if I were you. Tell Burgess I say hi back and I miss her ass."

"I only texted Kim now. If I was really worried, I would have called Kim the minute Platt told me who I was riding with. But Platt said you were good police and if Platt says you are good police, I believe her."

Tay nodded. "I appreciate that. So why is your ass sitting in a patrol car in a different district?"

Hailey looked at the window at the snow and questioned every life decision. "Platt offered me overtime. Time and a half, actually."

"Damn. I'd be doing the same thing too."

"I guess you've had a lot of people call in sick?"

Tay nodded. "Yeah, flu has been running through our district like crazy. We've had two guys come in from 27th for the morning shift, and our desk Sergeant was going crazy trying to find people to cover. Guess he called Platt."

"Happens," Hailey said. "I've done my time on patrol and I know what its like to be short manpower."

Dispatch came over the radio. "Robbery in progress at…"

Hailey was already on the radio although she had to momentarily remember that she couldn't use her normal dispatch call sign. "3401, please be advised that we are in route."

Tay flipped the lights and started driving. "You almost used your 21st plain clothed officer call sign, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Hailey laughed. "It's been a little while, okay?"

"You're good. I got your six."

* * *

Jay was sitting at home, watching Netflix. Vanessa was shockingly at home, already asleep. She was spending more and more time at her boyfriend's, Ben's, lately. He still wasn't sure why Platt wasn't asking the more rookie officers like Atwater, Ruzek and Rojas to do patrol at a different district than offering a Detective time and a half to do it. But as he learned time and time again, Platt and Voight had their reasoning for doing things they way they did them. Obviously this was one of them.

He had gotten a couple texts from Hailey over the night. She said Tay was a solid cop and it was a busy night on their beat. They had responded to a robbery in progress, a domestic and found a body that they turned over to Area Homicide. And she was three hours into her shift.

And then the door opened. Jay looked at the time. 12:15 a.m. On a Friday night, now Saturday morning. He knew Hailey was still working so there was only one other person that crashed here.

"You sneaking in?" he asked the person, knowing who it was.

Hayden Upton appeared in the living room where Jay was watching T.V. "Uhhhh."

Jay turned to Hailey's nephew. "I know your curfew is 11 p.m., no matter what at Tim and Tammy's so I'll bet you quite a bit of money that you told Tammy you were crashing here tonight. You went over to a girl's house, her parents kicked you out because it's midnight and you ended up here, thinking you could sneak in without anyone noticing."

Hayden shrugged, knowing he was caught. "Pretty close."

"I'll give you credit for copping to that. Just think a little harder before you try sneaking into a house where three cops live. Bad business man."

"I didn't think about that."

"We all get a little jumpy when there's noises in the middle of the night," Jay said. Especially him.

Hayden nodded. "I'll re-think my strategy, next time."

"Might be wise. And might be wise to remember that your curfew doesn't change between houses," Jay was totally bullshitting on that and he was going a little over the line parenting Hailey's nephew. He usually left that up to her but… he had also been a teenage boy once.

"Noted."

Again, Jay had to give the kid credit for not talking back and just accepting the lecture Jay was giving. "What's her name?"

"Lauren. Where's Hailey? I didn't see her bag by the front door."

Kid was also very perceptive. "Working."

"Huh."

Jay rolled his eyes. That same "huh" that both Hailey and Hayden did. Drove him up the wall. "Go get some sleep."

Hayden turned and went to his room and Jay turned off the TV and wrote a note for Hailey for when she came home that Hayden was over. And then he put the coffee on the automatic timer because Hailey had forgotten to do that. She had a Keurig for awhile and then it broke and she never got around to replacing it. He was tempted to stay up until she got home but he figured she would kick his ass for that. Instead he just looked out the window and watched the snow fall, thinking how crazy it was that this was his life right now.

* * *

**Next: T; Treadmill **

**AN: Not super happy with it but hey, I wrote something. And can you tell I've been re-watching previous Chicago PD!? **


	21. Treadmill

**20\. Treadmill**

* * *

The first time Rixton left Hailey on the treadmill, Ruzek came to find her. "Thought you hated running on those hamster wheels?"

She looked at him as she continued running. "Still do."

He leaned against it. "Then why you on it?"

Finally she stopped the wretched machine from a run and slowed it down to a walk. "Rix and I were supposed to workout before starting but he bailed on me, I guess."

Ruzek looked at her. "Don't know the guy that well, but he doesn't seem like the guy to bail. You try texting him?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Anyone else in?"

"Rojas, but that's it. Not even your boyfriend," Ruzek said, jokingly but Hailey knew that, they took separate vehicles this morning.

Vanessa poked her head in. "I've been looking all over for ya'll. Rixton just texted me an address. Do you know it?" She rattled off the address to Ruzek and Hailey.

Hailey looked at Ruzek sagely. "That's Big Bertha's address. I'll get changed."

Jay and Rixton were across town at Big Bertha's as Rixton had called him as Jay was on his way to the office.

"You know we don't exactly have a warrant to be doing what we are doing, right?" Jay asked, going through the couch cushions.

Rixton looked at him. "You've met Big Bertha, right?"

Jay nodded. "More than once."

"So have I. And I don't believe her overdose was an overdose."

Jay looked at the former Narcotics detective who was filling in for Atwater. "How'd you know about Big Bertha?"

"Who doesn't know her when you're in Narcs?" Rixton asked. "The amount of information she passed is in return for some good steaks was insane. All she wanted was a good steak in return. I was more than happy to oblige."

They continued looking around for stuff while they waited for the rest of the team to arrive and an update on Big Bertha's condition from Med. Jay wasn't really sure why Rixton called him first but he didn't question it. Voight had switched up the partners- Hailey and Burgess, Jay and Ruzek and Rixton and Rojas. They were all not a fan but Voight didn't want Burgess and Ruzek working together so quickly again and he thought Rojas might learn a thing or two from Rixton. Even Hailey had to admit Voight had a point about all that.

"I'm going to be really bold and come out and say this but you and Hailey are a lot more solid than you and Lindsay ever were," Rixton said, after rummaging through the kitchen.

Jay looked at him. "What makes you say that?"

"Well maybe you've matured in the two years I've been done but this relationship with Upton seems a hella lot more mature."

"Interesting perspective," Jay replied. He didn't deny it. He had grown up a lot and he had Hailey to thank for that. "A lot less drama, I can say that."

"No shit, Halstead."

Jay laughed. "Last time I talked to you about relationships, you were thinking about moving in with a girl and now Hailey says you are married?!"

"Didn't see that coming," Rixton muttered. "But yeah, we got married last year."

"Congrats, man. It looks good on you. I gotta ask, how and where did you meet someone outside the Chicago Police Department?"

Rixton shrugged. "Super romantic. A bar."

"Figures."

Hailey and Vanessa arrived to see them going through Big Bertha's things. "Whoa, you do this or was the place tossed?" Vanessa asked.

"We did it," Rixton replied. "By the way, is the rumor true that Aaron is at U of Michigan and someone from CPD helped him get there?"

"Where'd you hear that?" Jay asked.

Rixton shrugged. "Big Bertha, herself."

"Aaron did all the work, we just helped him file his Army ROTC scholarship packet," Hailey said.

Vanessa put up her hand. "Who's Big Bertha and Aaron?"

Jay laughed. "Big Bertha is probably the coolest lady you'll ever meet. And Aaron is the kid that Kevin, Hailey and I helped to get to Michigan. Remember Kahlia Davis?"

"Yeah. She got popped a couple weeks ago and some banger from the 45's took credit for the murder," Vanessa replied, not seeing how the dots connected.

"Big Bertha is Kahlia's aunt. And Aaron's mom," Hailey answered.

"And I'm guessing none of you think she overdose?" Vanessa asked.

Rixton winked. "Ding, ding."

* * *

The second time Rixton left Hailey on the treadmill was a week later. This time she texted him, asking where the flying fuck he was. Before she could even type out a text, he texted her. And it left her a ltitle perplexed.

**From: Kenny Rixton  
****Meet me at Med in 45. And shower. **

Hailey was highly annoyed at that but she got off the damned treadmill and dragged her ass to the locker room. Jay was in court that day with Voight so she was essentially in charge and that scared her a little. And she certainly didn't like Rixton giving her orders.

On her way out, she stopped by Platt's desk. "Any idea why Rixton would be at Med?"

"Big Bertha," was the answer that came from Platt's mouth.

Hailey nodded and put her wet hair in a messy bun. Before going to Med, she stopped by the grocery store and picked up from groceries before heading to the hospital. Given the fact that she knew she wasn't going to Emergency, she stopped by the front desk and flashed her badge and asked where Big Bertha's room was. She understood his shower part of the text now- she needed to look good for Big Bertha.

In there, she found Kenny joking with the older woman. "Found you."

"Hailey!" Big Bertha exclaimed. "Going home day today! This joker volunteered to drive me. I had no idea you two knew each other. What a small world."

Hailey rolled her eyes at Kenny. "I guess we're both going with you today."

When she got to Big Bertha's before Kenny and Big Bertha, she was shocked. The place was put back together. She had no idea who did it. But she put the steaks in the fridge and quietly left. They still had no idea how the older woman overdosed on morphine- something she was allergic to and something she was definitely not prescribed. But they would find out eventually and make them pay.

* * *

The third time Hailey was left on the treadmill was Jay's fault. But she had a sneaking suspicion that he would bail on her for the workout because it was sprint day and nobody liked sprint day. They both preferred running outside but below freezing temperatures in Chicago was nobody's idea of fun so treadmill it was. She was a little surprised that he'd bail giving the fact that she'd call him out on it but maybe that was his plan. Or maybe Jay hated sprints as much as Hailey did.

Burgess came into the gym. "He bail?"

"Of course. It's sprint day."

She laughed. "Don't blame him. Can't say I'm willing to do sprints with you, but I'll at least join you on the bike."

"At least someone doesn't bail on me for workouts," Hailey smiled at Kim.

Twenty minutes later, both Burgess and Hailey were tired and sweaty. Burgess eventually got off the bike and joined Hailey in her sprints. Jay leaned against the door as he watched them guzzle water. "Good workout, ladies?"

"Fuck you," Hailey said, not maliciously though.

He smiled at her. "Carly says hi."

"You purposely go meet your dancer CI to go blow me off on working out?" Hailey asked, as she gave him a sweaty hug.

He looked down at her and smiled. "Yeah."

She looked around to make sure no one was watching and then stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "Guess you'll just have to make it up to me later tonight."

He looked at her and winked. "Maybe." Bailing on her was probably his plan all along.

* * *

**Next- U; Upgrade**


	22. Upgrade

**21\. Upgrade**

* * *

"Catch ya'll on the flip side," Hailey said, getting up from her desk.

Ruzek looked up at her, confused. "Where you going?"

"Not here," she replied.

He waved around the room. "We're in the middle of a case."

"Platt's side projects apparently take first priority," Hailey explained, slowly for him. "See you tomorrow."

Kim chuckled, seeming to get the line of "Platt's side project's" and smiled back at Hailey. She shot Ruzek a nasty look at he dropped it.

Hailey changed at the 27th and slid into the passenger seat of a squad car. Where she had a coffee, bag of salt and vinegar chips and a chocolate bar waiting for her. And it was her favorite type of chocolate bar. Coffee order how she liked it, Favorite type of chips, favorite type of chocolate bar; she was in heaven. Other than being in blues and in a squad car. She looked at Officer Julie Tay, who sat in the driver's seat. "I think you may be an upgrade on my partner."

"We talking Burgess or Halstead because we all know I'm an upgrade on Burgess," Tay laughed as she started the car.

"Oh you know what I mean," Hailey said as she opened the chocolate bar. "But seriously, all of this is much needed and appreciated."

"Eh, I'm starting this shift fresh. I know damn well you've already been working for awhile. Figured you'd need a pick me up."

Hailey nodded. "That I do." And then dispatch came over the radio and the shift was on.

They ended up at Chicago Med for over 2 hours, dealing with a domestic dispute. The woman and her 8 year old daughter were severely beaten by the woman's boyfriend, leaving Hailey and Tay a lot of paperwork and one big mess that domestics tended to leave. Hailey hated domestics and if she was a betting woman she probably would bet that Tay had the same disdain for them as she did. Sometimes she felt sorry for the victims but when Tay explained that she had been to the address 5 times herself and the call log showed several other times, Hailey's emotions were all over the place. She did feel sorry for the kid though, that she really did.

Will came out of the doctors lounge and saw them in the hallway, just as they were about to leave. "Blues, Upton? Get a demotion I didn't hear about?"

She smiled at her regular partner's brother. "Nah. Overtime or something like that."

Will looked unconvinced. "Yeah, okay. Jay said you had been working a lot lately, but he didn't mention the beat again."

"Details," Hailey shot back.

"Give me a second," Will said. He returned literally a minute later. "Jay's been sending mail to my house lately. Something about never being at his own house to get the mail? Also doesn't want anyone to know he's living with you, pretty much?"

Hailey feigned ignorance. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

"Yeah, okay. Can you give him these bills? I think they are bills, anyways. Didn't look," Will said. "I was going to stop by the district later but you're here so I guess you can take them home with you tonight."

Hailey took the stack for mail and put them inside her jacket pocket. "Yeah, sure. Thanks, Will."

* * *

It wasn't until her after her shift, which was very interesting and full of adventure, that Hailey looked at the mail. She was sore, a little angry on how it ended and the little bit of a arguing that she ended up doing with the Desk Sergeant at the 27th of how to process charges on the second related domestic her and Tay handled. Tay had come up with some pretty creative charges and Hailey was impressed; the Desk Sergeant wasn't.

It was mainly bills but one envelope piqued her interest. It was addressed to Jay, but definitely with Will's address, and handwritten. And it had a lawyer's address in Omaha, Nebraska as the return label. She looked at the clock and saw it was 12:21 a.m. She had been working since 7 a.m. and she was too tired to deal with the mystery envelope.

When she woke up the next morning, she groaned. It was only 6 a.m. and the bed was cold. That wasn't super surprising though. Jay always woke up before her. She tried to remember if she saw any of Vanessa's shoes in the doorway when she came home but she was too tired to remember. So she put some of Jay's sweats and one of his t-shirts on and made her way downstairs.

"Surprised you are up this early. Voight told you to not come in early," Jay said, handing her a cup full of coffee.

Hailey shrugged and sat down on her island. "I'd sleep longer if I could."

Jay turned to the stove. "Do you want a loaded omelette?"

"Sure."

He grabbed another plate and put some eggs on it and put the plate in front of her. "You saw Will last night?"

Hailey ate a big of eggs and then answered. "Yeah, we had two ugly domestics last night. Don't miss that about the beat."

Jay put something in front of her and Hailey tried reading it and then really couldn't believe her eyes. "What's this?"

"According to this, I'm finally no longer married."

Hailey nodded. "Abby?"

Jay nodded. "I signed them."

Hailey pushed the papers away. "The only question I have about all this is, is why did she send the papers to Will's address?"

"She tracked him down the last time she wanted to see me, so I'm assuming she had his address. She never had mine. And I'm assuming her lawyer's probably advised against on sending them to a police station."

Hailey nodded. "I'm just glad she finally signed them."

Jay walked around the kitchen and pressed a kiss against Hailey's hair. "Me too, babe. Me too."

"Don't call me that."

Jay raised his eyebrows. "I'll call you whatever I want, babe."

Hailey drank her coffee slowly. "Jay Halstead, you are so lucky right now that I am actually not caffeinated well enough and very tired to kick your ass."

He leaned down and kissed her hair again. "And that's why I'll call you my babe, again."

"Payback's a bitch, remember that."

* * *

Hailey slowly walked up the stairs to Intelligence an hour or so later, coffee in hand, despite the fact that Voight told her not to come in until noon. Rixton just nodded at her and then nodded towards Voight's office. She just gave him a look of thanks. It was almost scary of well Rixton and her communicated on just looks. It would never be as good as Halstead and hers on body language, but it was getting pretty good.

She closed the door to Voight's office when she saw Platt in the corner. "Why do I feel like I am being called into the principal's office?" She half expected a phone call or something about her late night "conversation" with the Desk Sergeant over at 27th that didn't go over well.

"Julie Tay," Voight said.

Hailey sat down in the chair. "I like her. She's a solid cop. Real solid. I'd ride with her in a car for 12 hours over my partner, so that's saying something."

Platt smiled on the fact that Hailey would ride with Tay over Halstead and handed her a piece of paper. "She tell you she wrote the detective exam?"

"No."

"Scored very high," Platt said.

Hailey looked at the piece of paper. Julie Tay was now a Detective in the Chicago Police Department, pending the new assignment. "Not surprised. I'm guessing why you've been having me ride along with her is for a reason?"

Voight nodded. "Yeah."

Platt responded. "You're a good judge of police and character, Hailey. Vice and Counterterrorism both need people. Where do you think she'd fit in best?"

"Most people would use her brain and put her in Counterterrorism but I think she'd shake things up in Vice, in a good way."

Voight nodded. "I agree. I'll see what I can do to get her into Vice. You and Halstead good? Any problems?"

Hailey chuckled as she stood up, thinking back to everything. Her being partnered with Burgess, the divorce papers from Abby this morning, and the comment she made to Platt. She knew why Voight was asking; they were also never arriving at the same times anymore. Rixton was picking her up half the time to go workout in the mornings these days. "Yeah, we're good. Tay just provides snacks and good snacks at that, on patrol. Jay would never do that in a squad car."

Voight just shook his head. "Okay, maybe I'll agree with you there. You're still partnered with Burgess though."

Platt chimed in. "Burgess likes sour keys for snacks. Don't ask how I know that."

"Good to know," Hailey said, smiling. She was about to leave but then turned around. "If you hear anything from Sergeant Heller about last night, we just had a little disagreement about what charges should be pressed."

That got an eyebrow raise from both Sergeants in the room. "Oh?" Voight asked.

"Nothing big," Hailey replied and closed the door to Voight's office behind her.

When she got back to her desk, she had another coffee waiting for her. She finished the current one in her hand and chucked it in the garbage. She looked around for Jay and then looked at Ritxon, who just shrugged. Hailey smiled again. Jay Halstead definitely was competitive and was not about to be overthrown by a new Detective on who Hailey's best partner was. And Hailey was perfectly okay with that competition, as long as it got her coffee and good snacks.

* * *

**Next- V; Voltage**

**AN: Just something that came together late tonight :)**


	23. Voltage

**22\. Voltage**

* * *

"Hey, I'll go with you guys," Jay heard Platt say from her desk.

He turned around, although he was really hoping to get out of the building without her noticing his or the others presence. "We are going to serve a warrant. Just a lowly warrant. You sure you want to come?"

Platt shrugged as she grabbed her coat and yelled at somebody to cover the desk. "It's been awhile since I've seen the light of day. And it's only a warrant, right?"

Jay laughed. "Well, you're riding with the new guy."

Rixton scoffed as they walked outside with Platt. Hailey had already been waiting outside. "New guy, eh?"

Platt chuckled. "That's what I was counting on, Chuckles."

Hailey, Jay, Rixton and Platt were going into the yard of a pretty wrecked home when Rixton threw up his hand. They all immediately stopped dead in their tracks. "The meter on the left hand side of the house has been yanked out."

The blonde Detective looked at Platt, who just shrugged. "What does that mean?"

Rixton took out a small sized pen from his bulletproof vest. "This is a voltage test pen. Never had to use one until now." He went to the side of the house and carefully stuck the pen where the meter had been. He came back, shaking his head. "Somebody wanted that meter off. Wasn't the city. It's live. We are not going in that house."

Platt looked at the voltage meter pen. "Huh. Never seen a meter pulled off before and never seen a pen like that before. Nice work, Rixton. I'll call a squad car to come sit on the house and then call the city."

* * *

Hailey came in the door after dealing with the bomb squad most of the day. After the city got to the house to deal with the meter, an eagle eyed electrician noticed some funky wiring coming from the front door. He was smart enough not to touch it and instead called the bomb squad who confirmed that the house had been rigged to blow. Rixton being "paranoid" about the meter being off had all saved them their lives. They were very thankful for the new guy in their unit's instincts. Even Platt uttered the words "thank you."

To her surprise, sat Rojas and her boyfriend Ben, Rixton and presumably his wife, and Jay around her island. Jay stood up when he heard her come in. "Pizza is on the way. Thought we'd have a little celebration dinner for not getting blown up today."

Hailey rolled her eyes but agreed. "I do think not getting blown up and Rixton's magical voltage pen saving our lives deserves pizza." She walked up to Rixton's wife. "Hailey, you must be Alexandra."

Rixton's wife smiled. "Oh, call me Alexa. It's so nice to finally meet you all."

Hailey turned to Jay. "Where's Kim and Adam?"

Vanessa laughed. "I asked Kim and she said she had tickets for a piano bar tonight. Jay asked Adam and he said tickets for a hockey game. I think they are together tonight."

"Reasonable assumption," Hailey agreed. "And Platt?"

Jay laughed. "Also asked her. Her words were 'the old dog and I are having our weekly dinner at Hank's tonight. You kids have fun.'"

Hailey couldn't contain her laughter. "Oh Trudy."

"Oh Trudy is right," Rixton agreed.

Jay looked over at Rixton, from across the island. "A voltage meter pen is not something that most people stash in their vest. An extra flashbang or two, a knife but I've never seen that."

He shrugged in return. "Old man was an electrician. Told me one day it would save my life."

Alexa rolled your eyes. "You tell him that it did and the old man would keel over dead."

Rixton laughed. "Old man is nearing 60 and still trying to work."

Hailey looked over at Ben who really wasn't saying much but then turned to Alexa. "So, how'd you and Rixton meet?" She had heard Rixton's side of the story from Jay, but she wanted to hear it from the wife.

"A bar," Alexa replied.

Ben, Rojas's boyfriend finally spoke. "Why do I get the feeling there's something more to the story than a bar?"

Jay looked at Rixton. "Tell us the whole story. Pizza won't be here for another five minutes."

"We gotta know how a dental hygienist meets Kenny Rixton in a bar and actually falls in love with him," Hailey replied.

"Gee thanks," Rixton replied.

Alexa started telling the story and then the doorbell rang for the pizza. "Saved by the doorbell," Rixton, replied.

"Not letting you off the hook that easily," Rojas replied.

* * *

After everybody had left, everything was cleaned up, Vanessa was back at Ben's, did Hailey look at Jay and laugh. "I'll admit, I wanted to kick your ass for not telling me that everyone was coming over but that was fun."

Jay smiled. "It was. We should do it more often. Have Kim and Adam over and whenever Kev gets done his undercover."

"I like Alexa, even if she was just as unforthcoming as Rixton."

He rolled his eyes. "Probably why he married her."

Hailey reached for Jay's hand. "Let's go to bed so we can get some sleep so we don't get blown up tomorrow."

Jay looked at her. "How about we go to bed but we don't go to sleep quite just yet."

"Oh, Halstead."

* * *

**Next: W; Whiplash**

**AN: Despite the quarantine (aka time to write) and material from Chicago PD lately; haven't been feeling the mood or inspiration to write. Here's hoping this strikes something. **


	24. Whiplash

**23\. Whiplash**

* * *

The team, sans Atwater still, and plus Rixton, stood in the room as Adam put a new face on the whiteboard. "Meet Whiplash. Aka Rudy Rodriguez. He's been suspected of flipping dope all around the city these days, mainly to high schools and the dime bags usually have his patented monkey print on the outside. Apparently kilo's also have that monkey on them but that's more of a rumor."

Jay and Hailey exchanged a look at the mention of high schools. "Why are we going after this guy?" Jay asked.

Rixton shrugged. "Superintendent called Voight because Narcotics haven't been able to get anything on this guy."

"Obviously he hasn't been caught because he has dealers. Who's running the dope for him?" Rojas asked.

Kim shrugged. "Good question. Narcotics was a little reluctant to hand over the files."

Voight nodded. "Jay and Hailey, you go over to Lincoln Park and go see if any of the students know anything thing. Rixton and Rojas, go talk to your CI's and Ruzek and Burgess, go beat down Narcotics' door a little more."

* * *

Hailey had texted Hayden to meet her by the office and five minutes after she sent the text, he was approaching.

"Uh. When one cop shows up, it's normal but when both of you, what the flying fuck did I do wrong this time?" Hayden asked.

Jay laughed. "Nothing."

Hayden looked at the two cops. "If I did nothing wrong and I know this isn't a social call because I don't see a Kosta's Greek Tavern bag with you then what is this about?," he asked, referring to his and Hailey's favorite restaurant. Said restaurant was not supposed to be operational but they liked it so much that they were still running because Kosta was on the books as Hailey's CI.

Hailey looked at Jay and then at her nephew. "Perceptive," she commented.

"We need your help," Jay explained.

Hayden crossed his arms as he looked down on his aunt, who he towered over. "Help requires Tina's."

She rolled her eyes. "Tina's? Really?"

"I'm craving pancakes and bacon."

"It's 11:45 in the morning," she replied.

"There is never not a right time for pancakes and bacon," Hayden shot back.

Jay wanted nothing to do with the standoff between aunt and nephew and had to bite the inside of his cheek from laughing at the situation. He tended to agree with Hayden but that was also his love of Tina's Diner speaking as well.

Finally Hailey relented. "Go grab your fucking shit then. If you want to go to Tina's, your spending the rest of the day at the district."

Hayden weighed his options of being stuck in a police station all afternoon or school and decided the police station it was. Hailey turned to the office where the office administrator was looking at them very curiously. "I'm taking him for the day."

The office administrator did not look too pleased. "He's a minor. You can't do that."

Hailey groaned. "Please. I'm also his legal guardian. Yes. I can."

An hour later, they finally arrived at Tina's. Rixton was waiting for them in a booth, because he apparently also shared Hayden's craving for pancakes and bacon. He looked up when he saw the two cops and the teenager.

"Kenny Rixton meet Hayden Upton. If he acts too mouthy, feel free to smack him," Hailey introduced. She slid into the one side with Jay, Hayden sat beside Kenny.

Their favorite waitress came around with coffee pretty quickly and guessed everyone's orders as they had been here quite often, just not usually in the middle of the day.

Jay pulled a dime bag out of his pocket and put it on the table. "Have you seen any of these around?"

Hayden shrugged, noncommittally. It was the same shrug that Hailey had that drove Jay nuts. "Yeah, I have."

"A guy name Whiplash."

The teenager shook his head. "Nope."

Rixton and Jay exchanged a look while Hailey sighed. "Share with the class," Rixton replied.

"Some chick who goes by K-stop. Her real name is Kiley James. She doesn't think anyone know her real name but she's not the sharpest crayon either."

Jay drank some of his coffee. "I'll bite. How do you know about Kiley James?"

Hayden shrugged. "One of the guys on my travel team was fucking her. And doing the drugs that she was supplying."

"He still on your team?" Hailey asked.

Hayden laughed. "No. He wasn't exactly hiding it well either so he didn't last long. You only get one chance on this team and drugs nullify that change immediately."

"Have you seen this brand at school?" Rixton asked.

Hayden shook his head. "I've heard K-Stop's name around school but I haven't seen it. I'm sure you're all relieved to hear this but my friends and I know better to get around that crowd."

Hailey drank some coffee. "You think it's going around the school though?"

"Two cops wouldn't be showing up asking me questions if it wasn't, how about we say that. You know the answer to that."

Hailey was about to fire back at her nephew for being a smartass but the food arrived and she figured that was also pot meeting kettle so she kept her mouth shut and the topic changed to baseball and hockey.

* * *

Hayden was alone in the break room, doing homework. Hailey had told Voight she was stashing him here for the afternoon which Voight was perfectly okay with. Voight had told Hailey at one point Hayden reminded him a little of Justin, more so when Justin was a teenager though. Rixton had gone out to run an errand and Kim had been around for most of the afternoon except when she popped her head in and told him she was just quickly running down to the courthouse to get a warrant.

He was stumped on a question from his History class and he was out of data and Rixton wouldn't give him the wifi password- told him all the answers were in the textbooks. Hayden just had rolled his eyes. So he did what Kim and Rixton had both told him to do- call downstairs and ask Platt if he needed anything.

Trudy came up the stairs a couple minutes later and poked her head in. "You rang?"

"Sergeant, was the Gulf War the first war fought over oil?"

"You called me up here to ask me that?" she asked, incredulously.

Hayden shrugged. "Kim and Rixton both told me to call you if I needed help and I do. I can't find the answer in my textbook, I'm out of data, Rixton won't give me the wifi password and I'd like to get this homework done."

Trudy laughed and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Well, let's see what this homework says." She read it a little. "Oh, write a paper on the causes of the Gulf War."

"I know oil is the main cause. I was just wondering if there was any other wars fought over oil?"

Trudy was impressed that a teenager would put that much thought into the question. "That's a very complicated question. If I remember correctly, the Iran-Iraq war was also fought over oil."

"Thanks, Sarge."

She stood up. "No problem. If you need any more help, just holler. Oh and, if you need help; Rixton's your guy."

Hayden looked up at Trudy who stood in the doorway. "Rixton? Math?"

"Has a degree in Finance from U of Florida. May have also went there on a baseball scholarship but that didn't come from me."

* * *

Hailey wandered into Voight's office later that afternoon. "Rudy Rodriguez aka Whiplash, Kiley James and another dealer, Amos Baxter are sitting in holding cells."

Voight leaned back in his chair. "That was quick."

"Once we had Kiley's name, she flipped fast."

"So why couldn't Narcotics bust this case?" Voight asked.

Hailey shrugged and sat down in the chair. "They didn't have her name. No way to get to Whiplash without her."

"And Hayden gave her up."

"She didn't exactly cover her tracks well," Hailey replied. Happened when dealers were only 18 and dumb with no street cred to learn how it was done. Worked for the cops favor in times like this.

Voight looked out into the bullpen where Rixton was writing a math problem on the whiteboard and working through it with Hayden. "He's a good kid."

"Yeah, he is. Thanks for letting him stay here this afternoon."

Voight laughed. "Takes a village to raise a kid, Hailey. I think we're all more than willing to help you out, especially with a kid like him."

Hailey smiled. "Thanks."

Jay poked his head in the door. "You ready? Kosta will have dinner ready for the three of us in half hour for takeout. And I also got him to make some for Rixton and Alexa but Rix has to go pick that up himself."

She stood up and rolled her eyes. "Tina's and Kosta's? Spoiling that kid. And Rixton."

"Eh, the kid put three drug dealers behind bars today with his tip. We'll let it slide today," Jay replied. He couldn't imagine his life any better today- the team put three drug dealers behind bars within 8 hours, which was a record, he was having two meals with Hailey and Hayden and he was going home healthy and with both of them tonight. Life was good.

* * *

**Next- X; X-ray**

**AN: I'm obviously going to have to whump someone for an xray so... Jay or Hailey?**


	25. X-Ray

**24\. X-Ray**

* * *

The first time Vanessa Rojas needed an x-ray as a cop was three weeks into the job with Intelligence. It was rather a funny story, albeit one she would not like to repeat. Her and Atwater had been trying to serve a warrant when they approached the house and something came smashing out of the window and it landed on her foot.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" She screamed at the window.

All Atwater could do was not do break into tears laughing. He pointed to the ground, gun in hand. "That's a TV."

"Someone threw a TV at us!" Vanessa fumed.

Atwater again tries not to laugh but failed miserably. "And it connected."

Vanessa managed to get the ghetto 90's TV off her foot. "Go. See if the joker is still in the house. I'll be behind you."

Atwater came out five minutes later with a kid in handcuffs. Vanessa approaches the kid. "Before it was a couple failure to appears, now you have an assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Really stupid."

After dropping the kid off at booking, Atwater took Vanessa to the hospital to get xrays and document the assault on a police officer.

At the hospital, Maggie took one look at her and laughed. "I see we have a new suspect to torture in Intelligence," she smiled.

"Vanessa Rojas," Vanessa introduced. She handed a form that had already been signed by Platt to Maggie.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Someone threw a TV at you? That's one I haven't heard of before."

"Glad to be your first."

* * *

The first time Kenny Rixton needed x-rays was his second stint in Intelligence. Unfortunately he zigged when he should have zagged when trying to avoid flying bullets and ended up behind a car and not shot. But his knee was not too happy about the diving and sideways motions he had just taken to avoid near death.

After getting up when Burgess had announced "suspect down," he gingerly stood up. And it hurt like hell. Alexa was going to kill him.

"You don't look so hot," Rojas commented.

He winced. "I'm fine."

Even Hailey raised her eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. That was a definite Superman dive behind that car."

He held up his hand. "I'm fine, guys. Thanks, but I'm just getting old."

Finally by the end of the day and him limping around, Hailey had enough. "We are going to the hospital and you are getting an MRI or an x-ray on your knee."

Rixton groaned and rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Hailey. But I already called my doctor. I have an appointment tomorrow for an MRI."

She looked at him. "Wow, that's slightly responsible coming from you."

"What can I say, I like to surprise you sometimes."

She gestured to the stairs. "Come on, let's go. I already texted Kosta and he has some food ready for pick up. Figured your wife will be homicidally pissed at you for getting injured on the job again so the least you can do is bring food home."

He just shook his head and hobbled down the stairs as she followed. "Halstead meeting us at my place?"

"Of course. I already texted Alexa."

"I liked you more when you didn't have my wife's number."

* * *

The third time Hailey needed x-rays in Intelligence and the first time she was seriously injured on the job was doing something that her and Jay had perfected quite well. Even Ruzek had attempted it once or twice before and gotten a 10/10 on the landings. Unfortunately this time she did not stick the landing when she leaped over a car like she had done a hundred times before.

She landed with a hard thud on her right side and immediately knew her shoulder was fucked. She knew. She winced and got up to continue chasing the subject but Burgess screaming at her to stop made her stop and bend over at the knees, in pain.

They got the guy and throughout the day she ignored the pain. The excruciating pain. Which led her to the bottle of half drank bottle of Jameson's that Jay had around the house. When whiskey didn't fix the pain, she knew she was fucked more than she thought when she got up originally. She wasn't a whiskey drinker, preferring it to gin and whiskey usually numbed pain, or so she thought.

Jay was on a stakeout with Rojas, which led her a little bit in a bind. First she texted Will and got an affirmative that he was on duty at the hospital that night. With that bit taken care of, she texted Hayden that she needed a ride to the hospital. It was so nice that he had his drivers license now. Hayden entered the house fifteen minutes later, on account of Tim and Tammy living close, and started laughing as Hailey approached the door in Jay's sweats and an oversized CPD sweatshirt. "Nice double standard."

She looked the door behind her and threw him her SUV keys with her good hand to drive. "What do you mean?"

"Last time I thought I broke my hand and decided to finish out the game you yelled and yelled at me. Now, you finish a day's work and decide to self medicate with Jameson's before even thinking of going to the hospital."

Hailey looked at her nephew, knowing he was right. "Fuck you."

Hayden started the SUV. "Those aren't nice words, or so you've told me."

"I can still beat you up with one hand, mister."

He drove her to the hospital and parked in the visitor lot. "I just asked you to drive me," Hailey replied.

He turned off the car. "And leave you at the hospital without getting results? Nah. Plus, it's Friday night. I have nowhere else I'd rather be than spending it with you."

She waited for him to open her passenger side door. "I'm going to pretend that's sincere."

Will was waiting for them and laughed when he saw Hayden. "He in trouble?"

Hayden shook his head. "Exact opposite. Making sure she actually gets x-rays done."

Will just shook his head as Hailey sat on the bead and grimaced. "You're going to hate me but I asked Jay what happened and apparently he managed to get the dash cam footage from the patrol car down the street. Gives me a pretty good idea of what happened."

Hailey groaned. "So, what next?"

"X-rays and wait for Dr. Caussin, who is the ortho on call, to finish up surgery."

Jay sat in Hailey's room later that night. She was thankfully asleep. He had told Hayden to go home and get some sleep as he had batting practice at 6 am the next morning. The x-ray's had come back with a shattered collarbone and they were just waiting on Dr. Caussin to determine if they were going to do surgery on it. Surgery with plates and screws to stabilize it was the most likely outcome.

He was scrolling through his work phone, reading an email from the District Commander, when someone appeared at the doorway. He looked up to see Hailey's former partner standing there. "Everson."

"Voight told me I could find Upton here," Detective Alex Everson explained. "Unfortunately crime doesn't sleep."

Jay nodded, respecting that because it was true. "What do you need from Hailey at this hour?"

"Old case of ours from Robbery-Homicide that got hot a couple hours ago. Need to know if she knows anything about one of our long standing suspects," Everson said.

Jay leaned back in his chair. "I wish you luck."

Everson paused for a minute and then didn't leave. "How's Hayden doing?"

The Intelligence Detective's head popped up. "How do you know Hayden?"

Everson leaned against the glass doorframe. "Back in her Robbery-Homicide days, Danny came into town one time. It was ugly. Beat Sarah half to death in a drunken rage. Needless to say, Hailey stashed Hayden at my house for a week until Danny left."

Jay was a little taken aback by Everson's story but it fit. He had heard of Danny's temper. "What happened to Danny after he beat up Sarah?'

"Called the NCIS Great Lakes office and they pretty much left it up to his command. I think he got a NJP out of it but he was a Staff Sergeant at the time so it was a slap on the wrist." Everson just shook her head, remembering everything that happened with that week. It was one hell of an ugly week.

He was learning so much about things. "And you've kept in touch with Hayden?"

Everson twisted his wedding ring. "My eight year old son thinks the world of him, so yes. I haven't seen the kid around as much now that you moved in with Hailey and he moved in with Tim and Tammy and had some stability."

"So that's where the crack came about the sweatshirt at the Kahlia Davis crime scene? You knew we are living together on the downlow?"

Everson laughed. "I had to. You know he applied for West Point?"

Jay almost dropped his phone. "West Point? What the fuck?' Jay knew about the other schools scouting Hayden. He had already been drafted by the MLB, but lower than expected and with his academics he had decided to go to school first. Everyone around the teenager was happy with that choice.

"Surprised me too."

"You need a Senator's recommendation," Jay said. "How'd he get one? I know Tim's a retired Colonel in the Air Force but I don't think Tim has that much sway."

Everson shrugged. "I'll leave it up to him to tell you. Tell Upton I'm looking for her." With that, he left.

Just after Everson left, Will came into the room and looked at his brother. "You ready to bring your relationship to the next level?"

"There's a next level?"

Will laughed. "So naiive of you. When you have to play nurse to someone, yes. Dr. Caussin wants to do surgery on her within two hours. You want to tell her or should I?"

Jay just looked at his brother. "I'll tell her."

Will paused. "Has she ever been injured on the job?"

Jay shook his head. "Nope. So this shall be fun for me and her."

"Oh boy, a Hailey Upton who can't do anything for a minimum of six weeks. Lord, help us all," Will said.

Jay looked at his brother and smiled. "Like you said, relationship test."

Will laughed. "Ah, you two have this. If she doesn't kill you, first."

And then Jay went to go wake her up and tell her that her life was going to be severely changed for the next two months with her arm in a sling after surgery. He knew they'd make it through the two months, he just wasn't sure they'd make it through with all their sanity intact though. At least he could go to work. Hailey was going to go crazy.

* * *

**Next- Y; Yellow**

**AN: I'm not really great at "whumping" so I hope this is okay! Going to try and finish this up before the one year anniversary of when I started this.  
**


	26. Yellow

**25\. Yellow**

* * *

"You know, yellow really washes you out," Hailey told the person sitting on her front steps as she walked up the drive. Tammy had given her a drive to her post-op appointment. Thankfully Dr. Caussin had cleared her to go back to desk duty but she had another week left of sick leave left and she was going to use it. It was somewhat nice to actually not be at work. And rather than go to work even if she was cleared, she figured she'd come home and make dinner, considering it was 4 pm. She felt good enough to attempt cooking with one hand. Tammy said if she got in a bind, to text her and she'd come over and bail her out.

He shrugged. "Not my best color. Reminds me too much of the Navy. Ran out of clean laundry though."

"Shame. You must be Mouse," Hailey said as she got closer.

Mouse stood up. "Staff Sergeant Greg Gerwitz. What gave me away?" He knew that was a dumb question given she was a highly trained Detective in a large city police department.

"The scar above your eyebrow that's still healing, the Army rucksack beside you and the fact that other than a couple of my nephew's nefarious friends, know one knows my address outside CPD," Hailey said, opening the door and letting Mouse in.

"Nice deduction," Mouse said. He put the rucksack down.

Hailey closed the door behind her. "Why show up here instead of Jay's apartment that you do know the address for?"

Mouse shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "Went to the hospital and saw Will first. He said to show up here first."

She laughed. "So that explains how you know where I live. Does Jay know you are in town?"

He sat down on the bar stool that Hailey ushered him to. "No. I got released from Walter Reed this morning and I still have quite a bit of leave time before I have to go back to Benning."

Hailey went to the fridge. "Beer?"

Mouse shook his head. "Still taking painkillers."

She found that reason as acceptable but as someone who had collarbone surgery recently, she also drank while on painkillers. "Orange juice or water?"

"Orange juice, please," Mouse replied.

Hailey poured him a glass which took a lot longer, given one arm and gave it to him. She also poured herself a glass while at it. "So, where are you staying if you haven't told Jay?"

"Well I knew he was living with you so I was going to crash with my sister's," Mouse grimaced as the thought of that. "But Will made it pretty a non-starter that I stay anywhere other than his apartment. So I guess with Will."

She was surprised and not really surprised so she sat down on the other side of the island and faced him. "Why come back to Chicago?" She figured it was a rather personal question to a person she had just met but it was Jay's best friend.

Mouse just drank the orange juice. "Well it was between coming back here and hoping people would take me back in or go back to the barracks at Benning. Not a hard choice."

She smiled. "Yeah, I get that. No girl back at Benning?"

"Nah. There was someone but she got deployed right around the time that I deployed to Iraq and even though Kuwait and Iraq are in the same continent, it's not easy to keep in contact."

Hailey drank some of her own orange juice. "I could see that."

"So what's new with you guys. I see that you are clearly injured. What happened?" Mouse asked.

Hailey chuckled. "Force of gravity won over."

Mouse winced. "Ouch. So how's the team? I know what happened with Lindsay but Jay hasn't exactly shared much since I left. Not that we've really talked given my many spinups."

Hailey took a deep breath, deciding how much to share but decided that Mouse had spent a good year or two in the unit, he deserved to know. "Well, Atwater is on a long term undercover so we have a guy covering him. Kenny Rixton, you may have met him?"

"Yeah, I met him for a week before I left. Seemed like a solid dude."

Hailey nodded. "We really like him actually. Kim and Adam are still the same old, same old, I guess. Still going in circles around each other. Vanessa is new, she lives here actually. She's pretty young, Voight pulled her out of a long term undercover, straight out of the Academy. Trudy and Mouch finally got married. And Voight is Voight."

Mouse didn't want to ask the question but he had to know. "Olinsky and Antonio?"

"Antonio is living in Puerto Rico with his sister," Hailey's voice told Mouse there was more to the story but she wasn't willing to go there. "And Al…"

Mouse sighed. "What happened?"

"He was shanked in prison."

Mouse almost dropped the glass he was holding. "Prison?"

"He took the fall for Kevin Bingham's death."

Mouse was starting to put it all together. "Wow, Kevin Bingham. I thought they'd all get away cleanly."

"All?" Hailey asked. To be honest, she never asked questions, although she had heard somethings about that night from people when Olinsky died but for the most part she didn't want to know.

"Voight, Olinsky and Lindsay," Mouse answered. "Voight killed him and Lindsay moved the body."

"I didn't know you knew that much."

Mouse winked. "People always underestimated what I knew and did not know in that unit. Helped."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Jay burst through the door, in a rush. He stopped suddenly when he realized why Hailey told him to come home early tonight. He literally stood in the doorway and then laughed. "The yellow makes you look like you want to do Navy PT. You enlisting in the Navy now?"

Mouse stood up. "You asshole," he said as he gave Jay a hug. "Hailey said the same thing as you as well about the color, although she said it washes me out."

Jay shrugged. "The truth. What are you doing here?"

"Got released from Walter Reed this morning and well, I'm here. Crashing at your brother's place for awhile," Mouse explained.

Jay looked at Hailey who just shrugged and then back at Mouse. "Well, okay, then. Glad you're back. How are you feeling?"

"Feeling like I spent six weeks at Walter Reed, the second time."

He rolled his eyes, even though he knew the truth about Walter Reed stays. He had stayed there himself. "Still can't believe you are back in town, man."

Hailey spoke. "Pizza or spaghetti for dinner?"

"Spaghetti," Jay and Mouse said in unison.

"Spaghetti it is," Hailey said as she stood up. "Jay, you're going to have to help me." In the past month, Vanessa and Hayden had done most of the cooking. As well as Tammy cooking crock-pot freezable meals at her house and bringing them and putting them in Hailey's fridge, even when not asked. It was a game of if Tammy could sneak in and put some meals in the fridge or freezer before anyone noticed. So far, Jay had cooked three meals. That was it.

Mouse smiled. "I've had too much hospital meals so home cooked sounds amazing."

She smiled back at him. "Can't guarantee you how good it will taste after he's done helping me but it will be home cooked."

"Hey! I can cook," Jay said, defensively.

She looked at him. "Yeah, how come you're cooking skills haven't been displayed in the past month? Would have been a perfect time."

Mouse just laughed. "You guys are perfect for each other."

* * *

**Next- Z; Zero**

**AN: Almost done this :(**


	27. Zero

**26\. Zero**

* * *

Jay and Hailey were getting ready for bed and his phone rang. It was from a blocked number so it was undoubtedly another cop. He also knew from experience that most of CPD didn't know Hailey was on sick leave still so if they really needed something, away from Voight, they knew it was probably wise to go through Upton. She didn't screen her calls. And if her phone wasn't ringing- it could wait. Jay definitely screened his calls, depending on his mood.

His phone did chirp with a text message.

**From: BLOCKED  
****It's Det. Mia Sumner. Need to talk to you. **

Jay's head snapped up from his phone at the memory of the somewhat disgraced Detective that Voight ran out from Intelligence. He never really did believe Voight that she was the mole and especially after what came to light after Jin's death. But Voight had his convictions and that was that. He was tempted to go back downstairs and ask Vanessa, who had active cases, if she knew why Sumner was poking around but he also doubted she would know. He turned to Hailey. "Any reason Mia Sumner is calling me?"

Hailey looked up from her book in bed. It was something that she had re-taken up while on sick leave- reading. "No. Never met her."

Jay put his phone down on the nightstand and crawled into bed. "Huh."

"You not calling her back?" Hailey asked.

"She didn't leave a voicemail and only sent a text message saying it was her. It can wait. I'm tired."

"You're a tough sell tonight, Halstead."

* * *

Jay was doing paperwork the next morning, sans Hailey again, when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He looked up to see Platt and Sumner coming up the stairs. "Huh."

"You're taking your partners habits on," Rixton commented.

"Shut up," Jay replied with an evil glare but he knew Rixton was right. He hated the "huh" that Hailey and Hayden both did and now he was doing it.

Platt sighed. "Detective Mia Sumner," she introduced to everyone's benefit except Ruzek and Jay who knew her from before.

"So you showed up at the 21st of all places," Jay commented.

"Wouldn't have to if you would have answered your phone," she said. All heads in the room turned to Jay.

"You called at 10 p.m."

She laughed. "At a time when I knew you'd be with your partner."

Jay considered that and swallowed. "Interesting. Where'd you find that piece of information out?"

Platt cleared her throat. "Her new partner is Detective Alex Everson."

Ruzek finally cut into the staring match that was Jay and Rixton versus Mia Sumner. "Who's Everson?'

Platt answered. "Upton's old partner from Robbery-Homicide." Jay decided that Platt just knew too much and it was time to stop under-estimating what the Desk Sergeant did and did not know.

Rixton finally spoke. "So you're here about an old Robbery Homicide case?"

Sumner walked over to Jay and Rixton, who were sitting on their desks, and handed both men a piece of paper. "Meet one of Upton and Everson's old CI's- Zero Pyatt. He ended up dead two nights ago."

"Is his name actually Zero?" Ruzek asked.

She smiled. "Unfortunately for him, his birth and legal name is Zero."

Jay looked at her. "Why come here and ask me for any help?"

Sumner shrugged. "Just wondering if Upton's ever mentioned him."

"She has very rarely mentioned any time in Robbery-Homicide. Everson did come by about four weeks ago to ask Upton about something related to her time in the unit but that's all I can give you," Jay replied.

Sumner nodded. "That's actually been helpful."

"Why not ask Everson?" Rixton asked. "Or Upton?"

"Everson is in court all week in Miami, testifying in some sealed RICO indictment he was involved in and I respect the fact that Upton is on sick leave so I do not want to bug her," Sumner replied.

Jay and Rixton nodded at each other and then Rixton turned to Sumner. "Respect. We will help you out if you need anything." He did not escape Platt's glare about the olive branch he showed Sumner. Rixton knew what went down a couple years ago and knew he was the new guy - he'd take the heat from Jay, although Jay would have begrudgingly told Sumner the same thing.

* * *

Jay and Hailey were at home later that night and Hailey was cooking dinner, she was actually making her favourite pasta. He sat at the island as he had offered to actually help but she said that she had it covered, other than being able to drain the noodles, which he did.

"I talked to Sumner today," he said, nonchalantly.

Hailey didn't even turn around. "Not sure why you're telling me this."

"She showed up today. Which is a big deal because I didn't think she'd ever show up at the 21st after Voight kicked her out," Jay replied.

Hailey turned around. "Okay, that may be considered something. What did Sumner want?"

"One of your old CI's showed up dead two days ago? Zero Pyatt?"

Hailey winced. "Ah, damn. She caught the case?"

Jay raised an eyebrow. "She's Everson's new partner."

Hailey made a face. "Lord help her."

"Everson doesn't play well with others?"

"No, especially women. His wife is the jealous type too. We clashed but Robbery-Homicide was my first assignment after my undercover with Booth and he realized how fucked up I was and took me under his wing."

Jay took a drink of the beer he was drinking. "Explains why Platt was even sympathetic to her. Although she was not happy when Rixton offered our help to her."

Hailey sighed. "I'll give her a call tomorrow. I know Everson's supposed to be testifying this week on a RICO indictment."

"The week you had surgery, Everson came by the hospital looking for you. What did he want?"

"It was about Zero," Hailey confirmed Jay's suspicions.

He nodded. "Figures."

She fully turned to him. "Now get a plate and grab dinner. And no more work talk. I have three more days left of sick leave and I am going to enjoy it."

He put a kiss to her forehead. "Yes ma'am."

"I love you," she replied.

He winked at her as he grabbed his plate. "I kinda like you."

"We make a good team."

"We do."

* * *

**AN: I'm DONE! Wow, I would have never thought I'd actually finish this and I finished this just before a year. So, please tell me which of these prompts was your favorite!**

**AN2: I'm flirting with the idea of doing a This is Chicago Part 2 (same idea, prompts and all), only because of quarantine but we shall see. This was a lot of work itself so I'm not entirely sure I want to commit to that again. **


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